Jadon Sancho and Joshua Kimmich: Europe's assist kings
This weekend’s Klassiker between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich will see two of Europe’s top creative forces go head-to-head when Jadon Sancho tries to outshine Joshua Kimmich.
England winger Sancho is the leading assist provider in Europe’s top five leagues this season, having made 13 goals in 27 games to help Dortmund to the top of the table.
Germany international Kimmich is not far behind, after playing the final pass for 10 of the 69 goals that defending champions Bayern have plundered this season.
With seven matches remaining and just two points between their sides in the standings, Sancho and Kimmich could go a long way to deciding the title race this weekend.
Sancho, who is one ahead of Barcelona’s Lionel Messi in the Europe-wide assists table, has already made a huge contribution to Dortmund’s title challenge. The Londoner, who only turned 19 in March, has had a direct part in 21 of the 66 league goals his side have scored, after also getting on the scoresheet eight times himself.
Watch: Learn more about Jadon Sancho's background
Only Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski [19 goals and seven assists] and Eintracht Frankfurt forward Sebastien Haller [14 goals and nine assists] have had a direct role in a team’s goalscoring efforts more often.
Sancho, with a top speed of 21.5 miles per hour, has been electric this season, and has developed a brilliant understanding with Marco Reus, who has also played a part in 21 goals [15 goals and six assists].
Reus has Sancho to thank for teeing him up on four occasions so far, most recently for Dortmund’s dramatic injury-time winner at Hertha Berlin on Matchday 26. Dan-Axel Zagadou netted from a Sancho corner in that game, just like the French defender did in another 3-2 win - over Bayer Leverkusen - on Matchday 23.
Kimmich, meanwhile, has been even more effective from a dead ball. Four of his corners have led to Bayern goals this season, while Lewandowski leads the Bundesliga scoring charts in part thanks to four assists from his teammate.
Kimmich has also scored twice himself, meaning that the 24-year-old has been directly involved in 12 league goals. That’s an impressive feat for a right-back, notwithstanding the fact that two of his assists came when he played a handful of his 27 games in central midfield. No other defensive player across Europe’s top five leagues has played a part in at least 10 league goals this season.
With both Sancho and Kimmich found on the right side of the pitch for the most part, the pair might not clash too often in Munich on Saturday. Curbing the influence such dangerous opposition players can have on the game, however, will be high on the priority lists of Dortmund boss Lucien Favre and his Bayern counterpart Niko Kovac.
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