Few golf equipment perceive strikers fairly like Borussia Dortmund.
Since Robert Lewandowski caught fireplace in 2011–12 season, BVB have performed host to a who’s who of goalscoring greats. The Poland striker netted 103 objectives in 187 video games and was swiftly adopted by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Erling Haaland. Paco Alcácer, Niclas Füllkrug and even the on-loan Michy Batshuayi have loved prolific spells at Sign Iduna Park.
The newest in that lengthy line of success tales is Serhou Guirassy. A modest pick-up from Rennes final summer time for a payment of €18 million ($20.7 million), the Guinea worldwide wasted little time in choosing up the place these earlier than him left off, netting 34 objectives throughout all competitions in his debut season.
With the No. 9 on his again like Lewandowski and Haaland earlier than him, Guirassy admits following within the footsteps of these earlier than him is a problem he relished from the second he arrived.
“It’s true that Dortmund has had some nice strikers,” he tells Sports activities Illustrated. “After I arrived right here, I admit that the No. 9 wasn’t out there. I needed to accept a short lived quantity.
“However as quickly as I had the chance to get it, I didn’t hesitate. And though the No. 9 is a heavy burden to bear, I’m doing fairly effectively.”
Guirassy rejects options there’s something magic about Dortmund’s esteemed No. 9 shirt, as a substitute giving credit score to these whose jobs are to maintain the conveyor belt of goalscoring phenoms whirring.
“I feel the scouts are… they’re good!” he laughs. “No, however truthfully, we all know that Dortmund at all times has nice strikers, I’d say.
“However then once more, I do know there’s a heavy historical past right here with them, even with Aubameyang after which there was Erling very just lately. So, sure, it’s true that it was a giant activity, however I’m as much as it. And when Dortmund had the chance to signal me, I didn’t suppose twice both.”
Guirassy justified his price ticket throughout his debut season on the membership. He turned the third Dortmund participant to ever attain 10 objectives in a single Champions League, however climbed away from Lewandowski and Haaland to seize the membership’s single-season document for objectives within the competitions.
With 13 strikes, Guirassy completed because the Champions League’s main marksman this previous season—an honour he shares with Barcelona star Raphinha, a former teammate of his at Rennes.
“I don’t suppose you possibly can be taught to be a striker,” he says of his goalscoring instincts. “After I was youthful, I performed in defence and midfield. I feel it comes extra from starvation. If you get a style for scoring objectives, match after match, week after week, month after month, you need to sustain your requirements.
“It is a particular feeling to attain objectives, particularly in Dortmund. With the stadium we’ve, it’s actually particular.
“After I was little, I used to be already scoring lots of objectives. And that’s what I attempt to do on the highest stage, and it really works. I hope it’s going to proceed like that.”
