EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Gio Reyna could play his first match under Gregg Berhalter since their family feud began 11 months ago, though the U.S. coach did not detail the midfielder's exact role in Saturday's game against Germany.
Reyna, a son of former U.S. captain Claudio Reyna and midfielder Danielle Egan, was limited to a pair of substitute appearances at last year’s World Cup. Berhalter said during a management conference after the tournament he nearly sent a player home from Qatar for lack of effort during training, remarks clearly about Reyna.
Reyna’s parents contacted the U.S. Soccer Federation about a three-decades-old domestic violence allegation involving Berhalter and the woman who later became his wife. Berhalter was replaced by a pair of interim coaches and, after a law firm retained by the USSF determined he did not improperly withhold information when he was hired in 2018, was rehired in June to resume coaching in September.
“We’re moving forward,” Berhalter said Friday. “I’m not — really — want to talk too much about the past. I think it’s about talking about the future, and Gio’s done a great job this week in training. He looks really sharp, really strong. You can see his quality. And for us, it’s about how do we build him up same way we have other players in the squad and to get the most out of him, for him to help the team the most, and for him to return to Dortmund in really good shape to keep pushing forward.”
Reyna has not spoken with reporters about the feud.
He fractured a bone in his right leg during the CONCACAF Nations League semifinal match against Canada on June 18. The 20-year-old Reyna has played only one match since, entering in the 64th minute for Borussia Dortmund against Union Berlin on Oct. 7.
Reyna played wide midfield under Berhalter during the the coach's first term and could be used there or in a more central midfield role.
“Whether Gio starts as a winger or whether we play him as a central midfielder, whether we play him in a 4-3-3, attacking midfielder, a lot of things to consider," Berhalter said. "For us, it’s interesting just to see over these next three years how these roles can develop.”
Asked whether Reyna will start, Berhalter didn't give a direct answer.
“Our goal, and I said it before camp, is that he leaves this camp in a good spot to go continue his development at Dortmund,” Berhalter said. “We’re aware of his loading in these last months. We’re aware of his game time in these last months.”
Germany will be playing its first match since Julian Nagelsmann replaced Hansi Flick as coach.
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