Serhou Guirassy and Jamie Gittens: Borussia Dortmund's double G-Force
Dortmund boss Nuri Şahin can look forward to the rest of the season with the dynamic double act of Serhou Guirassy and Jamie Gittens ready to help them take off in 2025. bundesliga.com analyses how the pair are making a difference this season.
A series of outstanding Borussia Dortmund sides over the years have been defined by explosive attacking units. A clinical striker combining with an artfully creative counterpart has been a winning combination countless times for the Black and Yellows.
Marco Reus feeding Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Jude Bellingham playing in Erling Haaland are two of the most notable examples.
Dortmund began the 20224/25 season with two major holes in attack after Reus left to join LA Galaxy in the summer, while Niclas Füllkrug also departed for pastures new at West Ham United in the English Premier League.
Their replacements have formed a new dynamic attacking duo that promises to match the power of those big-name partnerships of the past. Guirassy has continued to show the proven goalscoring form that took him to 28 strikes last season at VfB Stuttgart, while Gittens has consistently flashed his great talent this term, much to the delight of Dortmund coach Şahin.
Watch: All of Serhou Guirassy's Bundesliga goals for Borussia Dortmund
Guirassy's move to the Signal Iduna Park from the Swabians was a real signal of intent from the Dortmund hierarchy as they managed to get one of the Bundesliga's biggest goal menaces from last term.
The striker's start in Black and Yellow was a slow one, as injury forced him to wait on the sidelines until Matchday 3 to make his debut against Heidenheim at home. Five days later, he would score his maiden BVB goal against Club Brugge in the league phase of the Champions League.
The goals continued to flow domestically and on the European front for Guirassy after that; in fact, he hasn't gone more than three games without a goal contribution for Dortmund, notching six times in the league and six times in Europe - including a brace against Barcelona in a 3-2 defeat at home.
In the Bundesliga, a record of six goals and an assist in 12 appearances before the winter break is a promising output indeed for a man who has firmly made his mark in his first few months at his new club.
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"It’s not my job to compare Guirassy and Kane, but I wouldn’t swap Serhou for any other player in the world," said a satisfied Şahin ahead of this season's first Der Klassiker. It's easy to see why the new man in the Dortmund hotseat is so pleased with his striking star given how seamlessly he has transitioned into the Dortmund attack alongside the likes of Maximilian Beier, Gittens and Donyell Malen.
Guirassy has not only brought a clinical edge to Dortmund's attack but also brought an invaluable ability to link up play which makes him an impactful presence on the pitch, with or without his goals.
Going into 2025, the Guinean will be more vital than ever as Dortmund look to reduce the 11-point gap between themselves and Bayern Munich at the top.
Alongside Guirassy, in-form talent Gittens is another to keep a firm eye on.
Watch: Jamie Gittens- Star Ascendant
It took a mere 30 minutes for Gittens to match his tally of two Bundesliga strikes from last term, as he came off the bench at the hour mark in the first game of the season against Eintracht Frankfurt to score a match-winning brace. Two shots and two goals - one with his right and one with his left. That was a sign of things to come from the 20-year-old.
As seen, Şahin didn't immediately throw the youngster into the deep end as a starter, instead gradually integrating him into the side before an injury crisis eventually forced the tactician's hand and led to more starts for Gittens. Scoring against Real Madrid away from home in the Champions League was further proof that the England youth international was ready to make his mark on the big stage.
Since that loss in Madrid, Gittens has started every game domestically and in Europe. From those 13 starts, he has produced six goal contributions - and the youngster scored in four successive matches in a particular fine burst of form in late November and early December.
Cutting inside onto his right foot to devastating effect, the young Englishman has developed an Arjen Robben-esque clinical instinct from the flank.
Watch: Jamie Gittens cutting onto his right foot
With nine goals and four assists in the Bundesliga and Champions League across 21 appearances, Gittens could well reach double figures in both goals and assists by the end of the season. Much like another young English winger from a few years back, Jadon Sancho, Gittens is dominating matches from the wing for Dortmund.
One of the standout attributes of Gittens is his unpredictable style whilst in possession. He is capable of driving to the byline and crossing with his left, or taking on his marker and cutting inside onto his right to shoot. It is a dilemma that has bamboozled many an opposition defender, as shown by a near 50 per cent success rate in take-ons.
For someone like Guirassy who relies on reliable service from the flanks, Gittens is the dream winger to play alongside. The pair have already combined for two goals so far and look well set to combine for more in the remainder of the season. After a mixed opening few months of 2024/25, the sky remains the limit for Dortmund if Guirassy and Gitttens keep on firing.
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