Serhou Guirassy and Fabio Silva offer promise of super strike partnership for Borussia Dortmund
Borussia Dortmund attackers Serhou Guirassy and Fabio Silva have combined to great effect both in a Bundesliga win over Hoffenheim and UEFA Champions League success against Villarreal within days, creating hope that a super strike partnership could be blossoming in Black and Yellow.
The impact of some substitutions can go under the radar, but it was impossible not to ackowledge Silva making a claim for a bigger role at Dortmund after his introduction at Hoffenheim last Saturday.
The Black and Yellows were trailing 2-0 in the Matchday 2 clash when the Portuguese attacker was introduced on the hour mark.
Dortmund went on to complete a sensational comeback, with Guirassy netting within a minute of Silva coming on and then threading a magnificent pass forward for the substitute to latch onto and level just five minutes afterwards.
Things were just as tense against Villarreal on Tuesday evening, with the score level at 1-1 in the 75th minute when Niko Kovač once again summoned Silva from the substitutes' bench.
Again, his impact was near instantaneous, as he laid the ball across for Guirassy to tap in within five minutes - the first of a late brace for the Guinean on his 100th Dortmund appearance as they again won 3-2.
Kovač could not contain his delight after the win in the Champions League opener, saying: "Fabio is flourishing. Serhou is very important to us, but if we add someone like Fabio to the mix - and we are doing just that - then I think we’ve got a real force to be reckoned with."
Guirassy said: "I am very grateful that Silva played the ball to me. Fabio and I really enjoy playing together. He is a great player, and I am happy for him. Things are working well between the two of us."
Two star cameos from Silva naturally raises the question of whether he could force his way more regularly into the starting line-up. His next chance for a start comes on Saturday when Dortmund look to continue their perfect opening to the season at home to newly promoted Paderborn on Matchday 3 (kick-off: 3.30pm CEST).
Silva certainly seems on course with two goals and an assist in three appearances in all competitions this season to build on the three goals and seven assists he recorded in 37 games in his first campaign in Dortmund.
By working in tandem with a striker six years his senior, 24-year-old Silva is well placed to develop under the tutelage of a striker who has smashed 83 Bundesliga goals in 136 appearances for Cologne, VfB Stuttgart and Dortmund.
The pair's early-season promise also leaves Dortmund fans hopeful of enjoying the kind of instinctive attacking partnership they have arguably not seen since the days of Marco Reus and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang - who both wore Black and Yellow between 2013 and 2018.
