Jadon Sancho: MD4's Man of the Matchday and Borussia Dortmund's decisive lock-picker
Borussia Dortmund's Jadon Sancho could once again scarcely hide his delight after helping his side to a comfortable 4-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.
The 19-year-old laid on yet another assist – his fourth in four league games this term – and played a decisive role in setting up Raphael Guerreiro for BVB's third goal - to continue his spectacular early season form.
That contribution in seeing off one of Borussia’s potential title rivals came off the back of a successful international break in which he scored his debut goals for the England senior team.
A firm favourite at the Signal Iduna Park, the man to have provided more assists than any player in Europe’s top five leagues since the start of 2018/19 is enjoying his football more than ever.
Watch: Sancho delighted with his run in the team!
"It's a crazy feeling," he told bundesliga.com at full time on Saturday. "Every time I step out on this pitch I get a nice buzz."
It's an opportunity the Londoner has seized with both hands since being thrown into regular first-team action early last season, and despite being an undisputed first-team player - Sancho has started all but one of BVB's last 22 league matches – Sancho shows no sign of taking anything for granted.
"I'm delighted that I'm here and getting my opportunity to play."
Watch: Sancho's best Bundesliga assists
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The former Watford and Manchester City man celebrated his 50th Bundesliga appearance on Saturday, a milestone that comes as just reward for his bold decision to move to Germany at a young age.
Had he stayed at City, it is highly unlikely that he would have begun to fulfill his potential in such style. Sancho's former teammate Phil Foden, for example, is just two months younger than the Dortmund No.7, and although he is part of Pep Guardiola's first-team squad, his playing time is limited.
Foden has made just 19 Premier League appearances to date, amassing a total of 380 minutes of experience. He is in the England U21s, but is yet to play for Gareth Southgate's senior side.
Sancho, by way of contrast, has played 360 minutes of top-flight football this season alone, contributing to his total of 3,505 Bundesliga minutes overall. Tellingly, the 19-year-old also has eight senior international caps and is widely regarded as one of the most feared attackers in Europe.
As such, Dortmund coach Lucien Favre will have no qualms about trusting him in the team's next game when Barcelona come calling in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.
Having already tested himself against the best, he'll have the opportunity to take on, and perhaps outshine, Lionel Messi in a fascinating sub-plot to what promises to be a breath-taking contest. One thing is for sure: Sancho's buzz won't be wearing off any time soon.
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