Despite Serhou Guirassy’s Champions League dream ending in heartbreak his status as a world-class striker is now undeniable, writes DYLAN JOHNSON.
The Borussia Dortmund striker delivered a stunning hat-trick in a 3-1 win over Barcelona in the second leg of their quarter-final clash, a result that wasn’t enough to overturn the 4-0 deficit from the first leg, but one that underlined Guirassy’s elite-level.
Serhou Guirassy’s 13 Champions League goals this season is the most EVER by an African player in a single campaign in the competition. 😲🌍 pic.twitter.com/Zjt95DKE64
— Squawka (@Squawka) April 15, 2025
Facing a Barcelona side unbeaten in 2025 and riding a 20-plus game streak, Guirassy lit up Signal Iduna Park with a performance of sheer determination and class. He coolly opened the scoring with a Panenka penalty just 11 minutes in, then powered home a header early in the second half to give Dortmund real hope.
And even after an own goal all but ended their chances, Guirassy wasn’t done – completing his hat-trick in the 76th minute to take his Champions League tally to 13 goals for the season, the most by any player in the competition.
It’s a campaign that has seen the 29-year-old rise from Bundesliga standout to continental star. Since moving to Borussia Dortmund from Stuttgart in July 2024, Guirassy has been in electric form, scoring 15 times in 25 Bundesliga games. But it’s his Champions League output – now a club record for a single season – that has truly separated him from the pack.
Speaking after the match, Guirassy admitted Dortmund’s fate had been sealed in the first leg. “We left ourselves too much to do,” he said. “Tonight was a big response, but we paid the price for what happened in Barcelona.”
Julian Brandt thought he had made it 4-1 on the night, but his goal was ruled out for offside – a final twist in a tie that slipped away despite Dortmund’s best efforts. Barcelona move on, but Guirassy’s statement was loud and clear.
From bouncing between leagues in France and Germany to leading the Champions League scoring charts, Guirassy’s rise has been anything but ordinary. His name now sits alongside Europe’s best, and if this season is any indication, he’s only just getting started.
Photo: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images