Whereas former Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham endured a torrid Champions League night time with Actual Madrid at Anfield, one other Englishman constructing a fame on the Bundesliga membership was lighting up the competitors.
Jamie Gittens has been one of many breakout stars within the competitors this season, along with his fourth purpose in 5 league part video games setting Dortmund on their option to victory at Dinamo Zagreb.
It was a purpose of actual magnificence from the 20-year-old too, slicing in from the left wing earlier than taking pictures along with his proper foot from 18 yards and discovering the nook.
And it was a purpose that was vital, coming in direction of the tip of a primary half the place Dortmund had dominated with out breaking by way of and seconds after Zagreb keeper Danijel Zagorac had fairly brilliantly denied Donyell Malen.
Due to Gittens, Dortmund may calm down in a recreation they managed and finally they strolled to a
It serves as one other calling card for the previous Manchester Metropolis teenager, who appears to be following the trail set by Jadon Sancho and Bellingham of a younger English participant making a mark on the European scene with Dortmund.
Whether or not that path leads him to the senior England squad like Sancho and Bellingham stays to be seen, however Gittens absolutely can’t fail to have caught the attention of recent Three Lions supervisor and former Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel.
If he’s on the lookout for contemporary blood when he names his first England squad in March, Tuchel might contemplate gamers like Gittens able to having a significant affect on the way forward for the nationwide group.
Tuchel’s reply on the left wing?
This game-changing purpose in Zagreb was not a one-off. Earlier within the Champions League, Dortmund had been struggling away to Membership Brugge, the scoreline nonetheless clean with quarter-hour remaining.
However Gittens impressed one other 3-0 away win, this time with two targets. The primary was a deflected strike, however the second was one other piece of particular person brilliance involving the right-footed winger slicing inside from the left.
This knack for vital strikes additionally extends to his home type, with two late targets incomes a 2-0 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in August.
Gittens’ major function is on the left wing, and that has been an issue function for England, with no one making the place their very own.
Phil Foden performed there throughout Euro 2024, then Anthony Gordon was Lee Carsley’s major alternative in the course of the Nations League marketing campaign, with Jack Grealish additionally chosen, however Gittens is a pure who’s taking part in there repeatedly for a facet at present fourth within the 36-team Champions League desk.
This has been a season through which a younger man has been discovering his id – not least in shortening his identify from Jamie Bynoe-Gittens on the suggestion of his father.
After being a bit-part participant final season with simply three Dortmund targets, Gittens has seven in 18 matches thus far in 2024-25 and has performed some half in all of their aggressive matches this marketing campaign.
Bellingham grew to become a world star at Dortmund. Gittens isn’t there but, however he’s marking our playing cards as a participant who may but comply with swimsuit.