Borussia Dortmund’s Luca Reggiani celebrates his pro debut and a six-point weekend. His coach reveals what the defensive talent now has to deal with.

There are days in a soccer player’s life that you never forget. On February 7, Luca Reggiani experienced one such day. During Borussia Dortmund’s away match at VfL Wolfsburg, the 18-year-old made his professional debut.

With the score at 2-1 in favor of BVB, the center back was substituted into the game in the 95th minute, getting his first taste of the Bundesliga. “A dream came true,” he later wrote under a photo of his substitution on Instagram.

Less than 24 hours later, Reggiani laced up his boots again for the Black and Yellows. In this case, however, it was for the U19 team, which faced Holstein Kiel in the opening match of the DFB Youth League main round.

The BVB youth team ultimately won a close 3-2 match, to which Reggiani also contributed. The center back exuded total composure on the ball. He drew attention to himself with his calm defensive play. It’s no surprise, then, that his coach also sees positive development in Reggiani.

“Luca is simply outstanding week after week and game after game,” says U19 coach Felix Hirschnagl, adding: “Due to his injury at the start of the season, he had a relatively difficult start. But now he’s an absolute leader for us. The fact that he gets to gain his first professional experience on the field is simply great. He has earned it thanks to his attitude and hard work.”

They need to learn to deal with that, because that’s what the boys will face in the future if they aren’t undisputed starters.

Felix Hirschnagl

Making your professional debut for a club with the star power of Borussia Dortmund can have different consequences. Ideally, a player takes the trust placed in him and turns it into even better performances. The downside is a mindset along the lines of: I’ve already made it.

However, Hirschnagl isn’t worried about that with Reggiani. “I think it will definitely push him, and he’ll figure it out,” he says. The coach goes on to explain: “The key thing is that the boys learn that, when you turn pro, it’s possible not to be in the squad on the weekend or to play for the second team. Or that they might have to rack up minutes with the U23s and then go back to the U19s. They have to learn to deal with that, because that’s what the boys can expect in the future if they aren’t undisputed starters.”

Referring to Reggiani, Hirschnagl had these closing words: “That exact issue will certainly come up again for him in the early stages of his career. That’s why the key is to manage yourself well and always be able to stay focused on the present moment.”

Should Reggiani play for the U19s on the upcoming matchday, he will return to a place that will likely always hold fond memories for him. The BVB youth team will face VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday, February 14, at 12 p.m.