Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy on his hunger for more goals and how he hopes to close the gap on Bayern Munich
Borussia Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy sat down for an interview ahead of their final match of the season away to Werder Bremen to explain why he is aiming for more goals and speak about how the second-placed club could close the gap on champions Bayern Munich.
Bundesliga: Are you pleased with your total of 16 goals from 32 matches so far this season?
Serhou Guirassy: "They are good numbers for a striker, of course, but I always aim higher. They are very good statistics, but for me it’s still not enough. If you ask someone else and they hear 16 goals, they would probably be very happy. But for me, I want more. It’s not enough."
Watch: Guirassy's tidy finish against Frankfurt
Bundesliga: Your last goal, in the win against Eintracht Frankfurt, was very tidily finished. Did you enjoy scoring it?
Guirassy: "Yes, I think the finish was really special because the execution was perfect. The cross from Julian Ryerson was also very good. He put exactly the right amount of power on it and placed it in the perfect area. I was battling with Robin Koch, and then I just put my foot in the right position, and the ball went into the far corner. It was a really beautiful goal."
Bundesliga: You seem to have linked up well with Ryerson all season - is that right?
Guirassy: "Yes, I talk and joke with him a lot. I often tell him: ‘If you want an assist, give me the ball.’ He has 14 assists this season, so it's definitely a useful connection."
Watch: Guirassy scores two goals in two minutes against Heidenheim
Bundesliga: Lots of other Dortmund players have made big contributions this season too. Who would you rate as having the best campaign?
Guirassy: "It's difficult to say, but I would have to mention Gregor Kobel because he’s so important. Waldemar Anton too, because he brings a lot of defensive stability. He’s not a flashy player, but he is a warrior and is always there for the team. Then there’s also Felix Nmecha, who is very important for our system because he connects the defence and the attack."
Bundesliga: How do you feel about finishing second this season?
Guirassy: "Second place is frustrating and annoying. Bayern Munich were really, really good this year, though. You can see it in the UEFA Champions League too, even though they lost against Paris Saint-Germain. Right now, I think they are one of the two best teams in Europe. To become champions, you have to win games against Bayern because even they can drop points, although it’s difficult against them. Second place is not enough for us though, because when you play for Dortmund, you want to win titles."
Bundesliga: Do you think Dortmund can improve next season and get closer to challenging Bayern?
Guirassy: "There is a very good team here, that’s for sure. There are very good players. Some players are going to leave, we already know that. But we still have work to do, because this season was also complicated. Even though we finished second, it was a difficult season, especially in terms of goals scored. If you compare us to Bayern, they have scored 49 more goals than us, so there’s still a lot to improve in our attacking play. We definitely have to work on that."
