BERLIN (AFP) – United States (US) teenagers Joe Scally and Giovanni Reyna are hoping to face off for the first time in the Bundesliga when Borussia Moenchengladbach travel to Borussia Dortmund tomorrow.
Scally and Reyna have been close friends ever since they were trainees together at MLS side New York City FC, and both have made the step up to the Bundesliga in recent years.
Reyna moved to Dortmund in 2019, while Scally joined Gladbach in 2021. Tomorrow’s clash could be the first time the two friends have played on opposing sides in the German league.
“We’ve been talking about it for a year now. Gio was at my house the other day and we’re preparing to swap jerseys after the game,” said Scally at a media roundtable on Thursday.
“He and I have been friends for about six years now. Both our families are visiting, and they’re also very close,” he added.
Scally and Reyna missed out on the opportunity to face each other when Gladbach and Dortmund last met in October, after Reyna picked up a hamstring injury which kept him sidelined for five months.
Reyna only returned in February, and has played one game since then after falling ill last week.
“I felt terrible for him, it’s really tough to be out for so long. But he’s a great player and I’m sure he will bounce back,” said Scally.
Dortmund are hoping to keep the heat on league leaders Bayern Munich with a win. They trimmed the Bavarians’ lead at the top of the table to just six points last weekend.
Bayern, who followed last weekend’s shock defeat to Bochum with another under-par performance against Salzburg in the Champions League in midweek, host bottom side
Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann admitted after the Salzburg game that his side had communication problems in defence and “still had a bit to do to get level with Europe’s elite”.
