Reyna earning praise before potential first start

While Sancho has already established himself as one of Europe's top talents, 17-year-old creative midfielder Reyna is very much getting started with BVB, having only joined the first-team squad in January and made a total of seven senior appearances, all from the bench.

Yet even in just 137 minutes of action, the USMYNT star has had time to score an absolute peach against Werder Bremen in the DFB Cup and set up a potentially vital goal for Erling Haaland – the third member of Dortmund's tantalising teenage trident – in the UEFA Champions League last-16 first leg win at home to Paris Saint-Germain. His attacking potential is clear for all to see, not least for the man helping him to terrorise opposition defences.

"I think Gio is a great player, I feel like he's going to be one of the next best players here at Dortmund," Sancho recently told bundesliga.com. "I'm just happy to see him play, and play with him every week, and I'm just excited for what happens next."

What happens next is likely to be Reyna making his first Bundesliga start, potentially as early as Saturday's trip to Bremen. The Green-Whites won't need any reminders of his quality, although they did end up progressing to the DFB Cup quarter-finals at the expense of BVB in early February, running out 3-2 winners despite Reyna's wondergoal. Currently four points behind leaders Bayern Munich, Lucien Favre's side can't afford to come away from the Weser-Stadion with anything less than a win.

"We've been keeping tabs on Gio for a long time – you're blind if you don't see his qualities," Favre declared in his pre-game press conference on Friday. "He's very clever and, at the age of 17, still has a great deal to accomplish."

Watch: Gio Reyna's wonder strike against Bremen

The Swiss tactician could well be tempted to include the emerging USA starlet in his starting line-up on Saturday, especially after Reyna's impressive cameo against PSG. Like Sancho and Haaland, the youngster appeared completely unfazed by the magnitude of the occasion, confidently demonstrating his fancy footwork after coming off the bench, and then sliding through for Haaland to smash in the winner.

"For the second goal, it was a great pass from Reyna," Favre told UEFA.com in midweek. "And Haaland moved well to be able to receive that ball."

The task for Dortmund is now to ensure they keep pace with Bayern and RB Leipzig in the fight for the Bundesliga title. With the reigning champions at home to bottom side Paderborn on Friday, the gap to the summit could be seven points by the time BVB take to the field in Bremen. And with key attacking players like captain Marco Reus and Julian Brandt still sidelined by injury, Sancho knows it could fall to the teen trio to get the job done.

"Brandt is out, Marco is out, they're very big players to us, so it's unfortunate," the England international admitted. "But again, we young players have to step up, like me, Gio and Haaland. We've got to step up and try to score the goals, and I think we're capable of doing that if we keep focused and keep working hard."

Sancho raised eyebrows when he traded Manchester City for Dortmund at the age of 17, but the decision to hone his skills in Germany rather than back home in England has reaped rich rewards for both player and club. With 86 senior appearances and 30 goals under his belt, the London native is perfectly placed to provide invaluable advice to the less experienced Reyna.

"Gio knows that he can express himself whenever, because I just make him feel comfortable when he's in the changing room," Sancho explained. "I always speak with him, especially because me and him are obviously English-speaking and we understand each other. But I just welcomed him and made sure he felt comfortable."

Dortmund's opponents of the past month or so have found it tough enough coping with a pair of 19-year-old sensations, in Sancho and Haaland. If Reyna joins the party as well, BVB's teen spirit could soon be giving defenders across Germany and Europe a serious hangover.