Interview 

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It looked like a perfect start for Marco Reus and the LA Galaxy; the season was just two minutes old when the 36-year-old German superstar found new teammate João Klauss with a brilliant pass. The Brazilian striker then opened the scoring against New York City FC on Major League Soccer matchday 1. But a controversial penalty call, that resulted in Carlos Gárces being sent off, led to New York’s equalizer through Nicolás Fernández Mercau. Ultimately, the two teams settled for a 1-1 draw. After the game, Reus took some time to speak to Transfermarkt about the game, about his goals for the season, finally being healthy, and his future in LA.

“It was going so well at the very beginning,” Reus said when asked about the game. “The first couple of minutes went well, we just scored a goal, and then usually it should give you confidence. Also, you play at home in the first game. But it was not the case that New York had more ball possession, and we were just struggling with our build-up.” Indeed, New York dominated possession even before the equalizer and the Gárces’ sending off. But while NYCFC had most of the ball, the Galaxy did well to keep them away from the goal. “I can’t remember, one big chance,” Reus said. “But we were just too deep.”

Was the result disappointing? “Oh, yeah, 100% I mean, we knew that we must put the work in, honestly, especially after our last season,” Reus said. Last season, the Galaxy missed the playoffs after winning the MLS Cup, Reus’ first ever national championship, in 2024. “We want to come out with some pride to give the fans also some good vibes, a good, better feedback from our previous season,” Reus said when asked about last season.

Marco Reus in Los Angeles: It has been a rollercoaster ride

Indeed, it has been a bit of a rollercoaster ride for Reus in Los Angeles on the pitch. When he arrived in the summer of 2024, he was the missing piece in the Galaxy’s championship team. Then Riqui Puig suffered an ACL injury ahead of the club winning the championship, stifling the Galaxy’s salary cap situation ahead of the 2025 season, which pretty much ruined the club’s ability to build a competitive roster. With Puig suffering another ACL tear this offseason, the Galaxy were able to put him on the season-ending injury list early, freeing up space to add the likes of João Klauss to the roster.

“I mean, you can see it in all the games that we should play with more confidence, because when you play for this club, you always need the ball and want the ball, and you don’t have to feel alone on the pitch,” Reus said when asked about the new additions. “And sometimes when it’s not going on up, going on our side, then we have to show ourselves and be responsible for the situation and help our teammates. And that’s a little thing, but it makes a big, big difference in the game, and how you feel then when you show up, and these are small things, but I think we are getting there. I’m not worried about it, but we must put the work in every single game.”

There is certainly a sense that, in his second full season with the club, Reus has taken on a leadership role. Against NYCFC, the German led the club out onto the pitch as captain. Did that mean his role at the club had changed? “Honestly, not really, it was the same in Dortmund, or at my other clubs, I knew what I had to do on the pitch and off the pitch,” Reus said. “I’m there for the guys inside the dressing room to speak with them, to give them some advice, but also try to help them on the pitch, to show myself and to give them the opportunity to play with me.”

New Reus contract? – “I’m happy to be part of the LA Galaxy”

With all that in mind, what is the expectation for this upcoming season? “The expectations are always the same for this club, and that is to win, especially with this team, because I think we added some new pieces in with more quality,” Reus said. “We always try to win every game. I try to be there for the players, and then nobody knows what’s happened, but I’m the guy who’s looking game by game, and not really too much in the future, because, like the last Concacaf Champions Cup game [1-1 against Sporting San Miguelito], and even today, it showed that we have to learn a lot of more things, which is normal at this time, so we just have to figure it out and how we can better combine and be more dangerous.”

Is that also true for his future in Los Angeles? There have been rumors that Reus and the Galaxy would be interested in extending his deal, which is set to expire at the end of this season. “I like it very much [in LA],” Reus said. “I don’t know what the future brings, I really don’t know. But I’m feeling good. I honestly had quite a healthy preseason and off-season. I feel great, and minutes are so important, especially for me to get my minutes and my rhythm. Maybe take two or three games, and then it should be 100%. I’m not worried about the team or me, but honestly, I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future. I’m feeling great, and I’m happy to be part of the LA Galaxy.”