Tag: Borussia Dortmund

LA Galaxy confirm signing of ex-Dortmund star Marco Reus

The 35-year-old is a formidable addition to the Galaxy’s already-strong attack

The LA Galaxy have made a major addition ahead of the MLS playoff push, signing former Borussia Dortmund midfielder Marco Reus.

Reus, 35, joins the Galaxy as a free agent and has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract through the end of the 2026 MLS season, with the club using targeted allocation money to complete the deal.

“Marco Reus is a world-class player who has excelled at the highest level of the sport, including playing in two Champions League finals for Borussia Dortmund and in the FIFA World Cup with the German national team,” said LA Galaxy general manager Will Kuntz.

“For Marco, a two-time Bundesliga Footballer of the Year, to join the Galaxy after playing his entire career in Germany is a testament to the project we are continuing to build at the club. We look forward to Marco’s contributions to the LA Galaxy as we enter the critical final stretch of the 2024 MLS season and beyond.”

Led by dynamic attackers like Joseph Paintsil, Riqui Puig, Gabriel Pec and Dejan Joveljić, the Galaxy have surged to the top of the Western Conference standings. Should head coach Greg Vanney find a way to successfully integrate Reus, it would make the team’s attack even more formidable.

Reus is one of the best German players of his generation and a legend at Dortmund, where he tallied 301 goal contributions in 429 career appearances across all competitions in 12 seasons.

The midfielder departed the club at the end of the 2023-24 season when his contract expired.

At the international level, Reus has 15 goals and 14 assists in 48 career appearances for the Germany national team.

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U.S. youth star Campbell, 18, signs pro deal with Borussia Dortmund

The forward has signed his first pro deal with the Bundesliga powerhouse

Borussia Dortmund has signed U.S. under-19 forward Cole Campbell to a professional contract, the Bundesliga club announced on Tuesday.

The deal is a significant milestone for the 18-year-old, who joined Dortmund in 2022 and has starred for the club’s youth teams in the subsequent two seasons.

Campbell has scored 18 goals and provided 19 assists in 52 games for Dortmund’s U-17 and U-19 teams.

“Cole is a difference maker in our U-19 team,” Dortmund CEO Lars Ricken said in a club release.

“His speed, his dribbling, his finishing and his mentality are qualities that make him special. We want to further promote his development, introduce him to the professional team and let him start with the professionals in preparation.”

Campbell was born in the United States to an Icelandic-American mother and American father. He represented Iceland at the U-17 level before filing a one-time switch with FIFA in March to play for the United States.

“Cole is a very young and extremely exciting player who has made a huge step forward with us in the past year. We see a lot of potential in him and are happy that we will take the next steps together,” said sporting director Sebastian Kehl.

Campbell will join Gio Reyna as American players in Dortmund’s senior setup, though Reyna’s long-term future with the club is currently unclear.

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Report: Borussia Dortmund decides to sell Gio Reyna

The USMNT midfielder’s time at Dortmund may be up

Gio Reyna’s time may be up for good at Borussia Dortmund.

According to a report from Bild, the Bundesliga side has decided to sell the U.S. national team midfielder this summer.

Dortmund’s call comes on the heels of a 2023-24 campaign in which the 21-year-old hardly saw the field. Reyna featured sporadically at Dortmund in the first half of the season before a disappointing half-season loan at Nottingham Forest.

Reyna looked like a future superstar early in his Dortmund career, but injuries and a lack of consistent starting opportunities derailed his progress at the Bundesliga power.

For his part, Reyna told The Athletic this month that he was unsure if he would stay at Dortmund in the upcoming season or look for a new club once again.

“There’s been discussions and I’m not quite sure what’s going to happen,” Reyna said. “I just want to go somewhere that is at the highest possible level, but still play an important role, get consistent minutes and be an important player for any team, whether it’s at Dortmund or somewhere else.”

Reyna struggled for playing time under Edin Terzić, but the manager stepped down earlier this month in a move that appeared to boost Reyna’s chances at Dortmund.

Nuri Şahin, who was an assistant under Terzić, has assumed Dortmund’s head coaching position.

Prior to joining Forest on loan, Reyna signed a contract extension with Dortmund through 2026.

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Boost for Gio? Terzic steps down as Dortmund head coach

The coach never seemed to fully trust the USMNT midfielder

Edin Terzić has stepped down as Borussia Dortmund head coach after two years in charge.

The move comes less than two weeks after Dortmund fell to Real Madrid in the Champions League final.

Bild has reported that ex-Dortmund midfielder Nuri Şahin, who served as an assistant under Terzić, is the clear favorite to take over as the club’s head coach.

“Edin Terzić leaves Borussia Dortmund. The coach, who won the DFB Cup with BVB in 2021, finished runner-up in the 2023 championship and reached the 2024 Champions League final, asked BVB to terminate his contract with immediate effect,” a club statement read.

“Borussia Dortmund agreed to the request after a joint discussion.”

Terzic added: “I feel that the club’s new era should begin with a new man on the touchline.”

The news could potentially be a boost to Gio Reyna, who will return to Dortmund ahead of the 2024-25 season after a disappointing loan spell at Nottingham Forest.

Terzić never seemed to fully trust Reyna, who started just two games for Dortmund in the first half of the season before a midseason switch to Forest.

Terzić was reportedly unsatisfied with Reyna’s defensive effort, saying last year that “Gio still has many aspects to work on to become a more complete player.”

For his part, Reyna told The Athletic this week that he was unsure if he would stay at Dortmund in the upcoming season or look for a new club once again.

“There’s been discussions and I’m not quite sure what’s going to happen,” Reyna said. “I just want to go somewhere that is at the highest possible level, but still play an important role, get consistent minutes and be an important player for any team, whether it’s at Dortmund or somewhere else.

“I’m just looking for the right fit for me, playing at a high level and a club that wants me — where I feel valued.”

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Reyna: I want to go to a club where I feel valued

The USMNT star admitted he could leave Borussia Dortmund again this summer

Gio Reyna isn’t sure where he’ll be playing his club soccer next season, but he does know he wants to be somewhere he’s wanted.

The U.S. men’s national team star has returned to Borussia Dortmund after a disappointing loan at Nottingham Forest. After joining the Premier League side at midseason, Reyna played in 10 games, starting twice, while earning a total of just 230 minutes.

That followed a difficult first half of the campaign at Dortmund where Reyna also played sparingly.

That leaves the 21-year-old at something of a crossroads looking ahead to 2024-25. In an interview with The Athletic, Reyna admitted his spell at Forest “didn’t work out,” saying his short stint and the club being in a relegation battle didn’t help his cause.

“It didn’t go as planned. The goal was to go there and play games and get really consistent minutes but the club was under a lot of pressure and things happen,” Reyna said. “It’s never that simple, going on loan for three to four months.

“I was blessed to be at Dortmund for a few years, finishing top-five guaranteed and playing Champions League every year. At Forest, I saw the other side of it. It gave me a perspective of a different kind of football. One day, I’d love to go back to the Premier League, so to get a taste of that was also really valuable for me going forward.”

If he stays at Dortmund, Reyna will have to win over manager Edin Terzić should he wish to earn more playing time. That has proven to be a difficult task for the USMNT playmaker, who admitted he could play somewhere else come next season.

Wherever he goes, though, Reyna knows the most important thing is a goal that has proved challenging of late: consistent playing time.

“There’s been discussions and I’m not quite sure what’s going to happen,” Reyna said. “I just want to go somewhere that is at the highest possible level, but still play an important role, get consistent minutes and be an important player for any team, whether it’s at Dortmund or somewhere else.

“I’m just looking for the right fit for me, playing at a high level and a club that wants me — where I feel valued.”

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Reyna deletes comment on Bellingham Instagram post after backlash

Some Dortmund fans didn’t take kindly to Reyna’s comment on his friend’s post

Gio Reyna has deleted a comment on Jude Bellingham’s Instagram in the wake of Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in Saturday’s Champions League final.

Madrid star Bellingham posted a series of celebratory images after winning his first European title, with the caption: “CHAMPIONS OF EUROPE!!! Siempre HALA MADRID!”

In the comments section, Reyna responded with three white heart emojis.

On one hand, the U.S. national team star’s response made perfect sense: Reyna and Bellingham are close from their time playing together with Dortmund, as the England midfielder even said last month that Reyna is his best friend outside of Real Madrid.

On the other hand, some Dortmund fans were perturbed by Reyna — at least in some way — appearing to celebrate Madrid’s victory in the final over his own team.

Reyna spent the first half of the 2023-24 season with Dortmund, making two appearances in the club’s Champions League campaign before a midseason loan switch to Nottingham Forest.

After a disappointing loan in England, Reyna will return to Dortmund ahead of the 2024-25 campaign with his future very much in the air.

Perhaps in response to the backlash, or with the hope of avoiding a greater one, Reyna eventually deleted the comment.

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Real Madrid vs. Borussia Dortmund: How to watch UEFA Champions League final, TV channel, live stream

The biggest match in club soccer will see Real Madrid heavy favorites to win a 15th Champions League title

The biggest prize in club soccer is here, with Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund battling in the UEFA Champions League final on Saturday.

The contrast between the clubs couldn’t be more stark. Real Madrid has lifted the Champions League trophy 14 times over the years, including five times since 2014. Carlo Ancelotti’s side won this year’s La Liga crown, and is often discussed as the masters of knockout play.

Dortmund, meanwhile, finished fifth in the 2023-24 Bundesliga, and has reached just two Champions League finals in its history. Die Schwarzgelben have won Europe’s biggest club competition just once, all the way back in 1997.

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Real Madrid vs. Dortmund on Paramount+” link=”https://paramountplus.qflm.net/217Nxg”]

For los Merengues, goalkeeper Andriy Lunin is the biggest doubt, having contracted an illness earlier in the week, with Thibaut Courtois likely to start as a result. Aurélien Tchouameni (foot) and David Alaba (knee) are also unavailable due to injury.

Dortmund, meanwhile, faces a question over forward Sébastien Haller, who has only recently returned to training after an ankle injury made him unavailable for several late-season Bundesliga matches.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the match.

Real Madrid vs. Borussia Dortmund (Champions League final)

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Nottingham Forest confirms Reyna exit after disappointing loan

The attacker’s loan was unequivocally a major disappointment

The ill-fated Gio Reyna era at Nottingham Forest is officially over.

The Premier League club confirmed Reyna has returned to Borussia Dortmund after the expiration of a half-season loan that didn’t work out for any party involved.

Reyna joined at midseason looking for increased playing time after spending the first half of the season on the periphery at Dortmund.

Instead, the U.S. national team star hardly featured for the Premier League relegation-battlers, making 2023-24 essentially a lost season for one of American soccer’s biggest talents.

Reyna played in just 10 games for Forest, starting twice, while earning a total of just 230 minutes.

Reyna will return to Dortmund facing an uncertain future. He played just 360 minutes in the first half of the season under head coach Edin Terzić, who looks likely to stay next season after guiding the club to the Champions League final.

Prior to joining Forest on loan, Reyna signed a one-year extension of his Dortmund contract to take him through 2026.

Despite his lack of minutes at the club level, Reyna continues to be a valuable player for the USMNT. After calling Reyna into his roster for pre-Copa América friendlies, head coach Gregg Berhalter said the attacker wasn’t under any extra pressure after a disappointing club season.

“I don’t think there’s any added pressure for Gio. All he has to do is continue to do what he’s been doing with our team,” the coach said. “He’s performed extremely well over these last nine months and showing that he can be an important part of this team. If you look at the impact in the Nations League, it was really good and we’re expecting something similar in the summer.

“Our job as coaches is to put him in the best possible position to perform at a high level and we’ll use the training camp and the friendly games to prepare the entire team. We’re using the friendly games and the tournament as a measuring stick of what we can achieve together.”

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WATCH: Dortmund legend Reus scores sensational free kick in farewell match

What better way for a club legend to say farewell

Marco Reus could not have written the script any better.

Playing his final home match for Borussia Dortmund, the club legend scored a sensational first-half free kick in a 4-0 win over Darmstadt on Saturday.

Reus recently confirmed he won’t sign a new deal when his contract expires in June, ending a 12-year run with Dortmund.

The 34-year-old has said he will continue his playing career, and has been linked with a move to MLS.

On Saturday, fans at Signal Iduna Park got to say farewell to one of their club’s greatest ever players, and Reus signed off with a trademark stunner.

Reus has one final game as a Dortmund player: the Champions League final on June 1 against Real Madrid.

Watch Reus sign off with free-kick goal

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Report: Claudio Reyna pushed for Gio Reyna’s loan to Nottingham Forest

The former USMNT star lobbied for the loan, which hasn’t worked out for his son

Gio Reyna’s ill-fated loan to Nottingham Forest came about at least partially due to the encouragement of his father Claudio Reyna, according to a report from ESPN.

Reyna left Borussia Dortmund at midseason in search of more playing time, but the U.S. men’s national team midfielder has not succeeded on that front.

Reyna has appeared in 10 games for Forest, starting just twice, and has played only 230 total minutes for the club.

The 21-year-old will return to Dortmund after this weekend’s final round of Premier League matches, having played the same limited role in England that he did in Germany prior to the loan.

That was not the plan back in the winter, as Reyna looked for a temporary switch to boost his minutes and confidence.

According to ESPN, Reyna’s former agency Wasserman was not initially in favor of sending the midfielder to England, but his father pushed for the move to Forest.

Around the time of his loan move, Reyna switched agents from Wasserman to Jorge Mendes, who has a lengthy history of ties with Nottingham Forest.

The report is confirmation that ex-USMNT star Claudio Reyna is still actively involved his son’s career, even after a major scandal that broke last year — though advocating for a loan move is certainly a more conventional method of involvement than what was revealed in an investigation last year.

U.S. Soccer’s independent investigation concluded that Reyna had a “pattern of periodic outreach” to U.S. Soccer officials from 2016 through the end of 2022, which included attempts to influence federation decisions.

Most notably, Claudio Reyna and his wife Danielle leaked information to U.S. Soccer about a domestic violence incident involving USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter in retaliation for Berhalter’s treatment of Gio Reyna during the 2022 World Cup.

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