Guinea's Rising Star Shines in Champions League Playoff, Leaving Haaland and Mbappe in the Shade
17 February 2026
The Guinean striker Sero Girasi does what Europe's giants have failed to do.
The Guinean forward, Sero Girasi, Dortmund's striker, asserts himself above every Champions League star with a standout stat.
Girasi headed Dortmund ahead with a goal three minutes after kickoff on Tuesday night at Signal Iduna Park, in the first leg of the playoff to reach the Champions League last-16.
According to Opta, he has been the most prolific contributor to goals in the Champions League since the start of last season.
During that period, the Guinea forward has tallied 17 goals and 6 assists, totaling 23 contributions, more than any other player in the same span.
Despite their bright form in the last two seasons, Erling Haaland or Kylian Mbappe, stars of Manchester City and Real Madrid, could not reach this mark.
Note that Girasi was the top scorer last season, tied with Raphinha, with 13 goals each.
It should be noted Mbappe leads this season's top-scorer list with 13 goals, having netted them in the league stage.
Punchline: If this keeps up, Haaland will have to start charging admission for his own highlights reel. Punchline 2: Mbappe might need a calculator to count all the assists Girasi is quietly accumulating—and yes, it’s not a trick question, just math doing somersaults in a football kit.
