KONRAD DE LA FUENTE

Bumpy field, outdated stadiums.

(AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)BARCELONA – Amid the turmoil at Barcelona, United States defender Sergiño Dest has found his patch to flourish. The former Ajax player arrived in the aftermath of Barcelona’s devastating 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League in August. Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman immediately put him to work filling in for injured fullbacks on both sides of the team’s defense. So that is why I chose Barça,” Dest said about becoming the first American player to sign for Barcelona’s senior club in early October. “I just worry about the team, and making sure we win the league and the Champions League,” Dest said.

United States' Giovanni Reyna instructs his teammates during the international friendly soccer match between Wales and USA at Liberty stadium in Swansea, Wales, Thursday, Nov. 12, 2020. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth)Gio Reyna walked onto the field for his U.S. national team debut, just like mom Danielle in 1993, just like dad Claudio in 1994. Reyna played 78 minutes Thursday night and was among six debuts for the Americans in a 0-0 tie against Wales in an exhibition at Swansea. And overall, a 17-year-old debuting and he didn’t look like that.”Claudio Reyna made 112 international appearances from 1994 to 2006, playing in three World Cups. Reyna was in a mobile and dynamic midfield, combining with 21-year-old Tyler Adams of Leipzig and 22-year-old Weston McKennie of Juventus.

Gio Reyna made his U.S. national soccer team debut against Wales at Swansea on Thursday night on the day before his 18th birthday, joining his father and mother as the first three-member family in American history to make international soccer appearances. Reyna and Musah became just the 12th and 13th players to make an appearance before turning 18. Claudio Reyna was a U.S. captain and played in three World Cups. He was 20 years, 5 months, 26 days when he made the first of 112 national team appearances as a 61st-minute substitute in an exhibition against Norway at Tempe, Arizona, on Jan. 15, 1994. Adams makes his first appearance since March 21, 2019, against Ecuador, and Robinson makes his first since June 5, 2019, against Jamaica.

(AP Photo/Peter Dejong)MADRID – American right back Sergiño Dest is set to join Barcelona, coach Ronald Koeman said on Wednesday. The Ajax player underwent a medical in Barcelona and the clubs were finalizing the details to make the transfer official, the Barcelona coach said. “I think that kind of experience will help the player but also will help the American national team,” Koeman said. The 19-year-old speedy defender has a Surinamese-American father and Dutch mother, but chose to play for the U.S. national team instead of the Netherlands. Dest committed to the U.S. national team last October, a month after making his senior debut for the Americans.