- The Brazilian opened the scoring and set up Bernard in Atlético Mineiro's 3-0 win over Montevideo City Torque in the first leg of the CONMEBOL Sudamericana Semifinals.
- He is the first player from the club to score and assist in a CONMEBOL knockout match since 2024.
Reinier's first night in an Atlético Mineiro shirt was also a CONMEBOL Sudamericana night. On August 14, 2025, at the Arena MRV, he came on 38 minutes into the second half against Godoy Cruz in the first leg of the Round of 16, and shortly afterwards set up Hulk for the 2-1 that completed the comeback. That night he posted a message on social media: "What a special night! This is just the beginning. Let's go for more together, Atlético".
Fourteen months later, at the same venue and in the first leg of the Semifinals, the Brazilian produced one of his most complete nights for the 'Galo'. Tomás Cuello beat his marker 37 minutes into the first half and found Victor Hugo, who got into the box and cut it back into the middle. Reinier arrived unmarked and finished with his right foot to make it 1-0 against Montevideo City Torque. Five minutes later he switched roles: Bernard won the ball back in midfield and played it to him; Reinier burst forward and returned it for the number 11 to beat his marker and make it 2-0.
With that combination, Reinier became the first Atlético Mineiro player to score and assist in a CONMEBOL knockout match since Deyverson against River Plate in the 2024 CONMEBOL Libertadores Semifinals. His pass also took Bernard to five goals in this edition, his best tally in a single CONMEBOL tournament. Reinier came off 18 minutes into the second half; his replacement, Uruguayan Thiago Borbas, scored the third 35 minutes into that half. It was the club's biggest win over a Uruguayan side in CONMEBOL competitions, and the lead the 'Galo' will defend on Wednesday, October 21, at the Estadio Centenario.
The night against City Torque confirmed a trend. A month earlier, in the second leg of the Quarterfinals, Atlético Mineiro needed to overturn a 2-0 first-leg defeat against Santos, and Reinier scored twice in the first half of the 4-2 win that took the tie to penalties, where the team prevailed 3-1. After that match, the Brazilian spoke about the support behind him: "The confidence the coach, the staff and my teammates gave me, never to stop believing and to always tell me I could be important, makes me excited to be able to help".
That support also shows in the game plan. Under Eduardo Domínguez, who took charge in February, Reinier has become the focal point of the attack, with the freedom to drop deep and join the build-up, in the style of a false nine. "Reinier is not a center forward, we know that, but he is doing a difficult, different job. He is adapting very well and he is getting goals, which is the most important thing for us", the Argentine coach explained ahead of the Semifinal.
The road to that role was a long one. A product of Flamengo's youth system, Reinier made his professional debut on July 31, 2019, in a CONMEBOL Libertadores match against Emelec at the Maracanã, and that same year he was part of the squad that lifted the trophy in Lima. In January 2020, having just turned 18, he joined Real Madrid, and from there he went out on loan to Borussia Dortmund, Girona, Frosinone and Granada; along the way, he won an Olympic gold medal with Brazil in Tokyo. In August 2025, he returned home to sign with Atlético Mineiro until 2029.
In Belo Horizonte, settling in took time, but 2026 brought him continuity and a leading role. "I've always said it: this is my home, from the very first days. I like being at the training center, with the players and the staff. I feel very settled and I've found my happiness", he said in September. That "just the beginning" from 2025 now translates into goals and assists on knockout nights, though Reinier prefers to step out of the spotlight. He had made that clear on that night against Santos: "The main focus is Galo, not me".
