A sense of nostalgia sweeps through the 80,000-strong crowd in Dortmund whenever Serhou Guirassy dons the Black and Yellow shirt.

Ahead of the UEFA Champions League encounter against Celtic on Tuesday evening, the Guinean international appears to be following in the footsteps of a player who defined a golden era for the 2024 UEFA Champions League finalists.

Erling Haaland's remarkable tally of 86 goals in 89 games from 2020 to 2022 left a lasting legacy, putting him on par with predecessors like Robert Lewandowski (103 goals in 187 appearances from 2010 to 2014) and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (141 goals in 213 games from 2013 to 2018).

Since Haaland's departure to Manchester City, his successors-Sebastien Haller (12 goals in 41 appearances), Anthony Modeste (2 in 28), Niclas Fullkrug (15 in 43), and Youssoufa Moukoko (18 in 99)-have struggled to consistently deliver goals.

Much like Haaland, Guirassy plays a dual role: he's not only a prolific scorer but also an effective link between midfield and attack as Borussia Dortmund builds its offense.

The 28-year-old, who scored 30 goals in the 2023-2024 season for Stuttgart, is already making his mark in his early weeks at Dortmund, following his transfer. With four goals in four games and one assist to his name, Guirassy's importance to the team is evident.

"It's not only his goals but also the way he is playing, always taking part in our actions up to far back in defense and midfield," said head coach Nuri Sahin after the team's 4-2 league victory against Bochum.

Guirassy missed the first two league games due to a knee injury and initially failed his medical exam, raising concerns about the injury. However, the 16-time capped forward is proving the club's faith in him was well-placed, despite the initial doubts.

Team captain and German international Emre Can has expressed confidence that many more goals are to come. The French Guinean has effectively silenced concerns about a gap up front, bringing back memories of Dortmund's high-flying days when Haaland led the attack.

"Serhou is exactly the one we were looking for; we are sure there is more to come," said sporting director Sebastian Kehl.

Related

Go to Forum >>0 Comment(s)