After the Bundesliga game on Saturday (6:30 p.m.) against 1. FC Köln, Borussia Dortmund will have a short break. Quite different for the majority of BVB professionals who will be on the road with their national teams. A black and yellow faces an explosive return.
Borussia Dortmund striker Giovanni Reyna has been called up in the 24-man USA squad for the CONCACAF Nations League games against Grenada (March 25) and El Salvador (March 28). It is Reyna’s first reunion with his compatriots after the World Cup in Qatar.
The team will be coached by interim coach Anthony Hudson, who initially succeeded Gregg Berhalter after the World Cup. The contract with the longtime US coach was not renewed at the end of the year after allegations of domestic violence against his wife Rosalind became public. According to “ESPN”, the Reyna family, who had close contact with the Berhalters for years, was primarily responsible for this.
Reyna’s mother attacks US coach Berhalter
Reyna’s mother, Danielle, caused a stir in the United States when she publicly complained about Berhalter’s treatment of her son at the World Cup and hinted at the US coach’s misconduct.
“I found it particularly unfair that Gio, who had apologized for his immature behavior regarding his playing time, was still being dragged through the mud while Gregg had asked for and received forgiveness for something much worse at the same age.” , said Danielle Reyna at the time, who, according to “ESPN”, was referring to an outbreak of violence in 1992 by Gregg Berhalter against his current wife.
The US coach, in turn, had revealed shortly before Danielle Reyna’s testimony that he had almost thrown a player out of the team for poor training performance if he had not apologized to the team. The Dortmund professional was then “extremely surprised” and disappointed that internal information from the US national team had become public.
In fact, Giovanni Reyna played only a supporting role in the US team at the World Cup, which was eliminated by the Netherlands in the round of 16. The offensive man was only substituted on twice, although he is one of the great hopes of the team alongside ex-Dortmunder Christian Pulisic.
Inquiry report: Claudio Reyna put pressure on for years
Berhalter finally admitted the outbreak of violence, according to an investigation by the US association it was an isolated case. A return to the post of national coach is therefore not out of the question.
According to the “LA Times”, the investigation report also revealed that Giovanni’s father Claudio is said to have tried for years to influence the treatment of his son by the US association. According to the investigators, the behavior was “inappropriate” and even “malicious”.
Interim coach Hudson, meanwhile, tried to smooth things over when asked about the Reyna case: “I see it this way: It happened. We as the coaching staff decided to take action and the player reacted to it – a positive reaction. The camp was terminated,” he said. “Beyond that, I don’t see Gio’s involvement in anything. We raised it and there was a positive response.”