While former Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham endured a torrid Champions League night with Real Madrid at Anfield, another Englishman building a reputation at the Bundesliga club was lighting up the competition. Jamie Gittens has been one of the breakout stars in the competition this season, with his fourth goal in five league phase games setting Dortmund on their way to victory at Dinamo Zagreb. It was a goal of real beauty from the 20-year-old too, cutting in from the left wing before shooting with his right foot from 18 yards and finding the corner.
And it was a goal that was important, coming towards the end of a first half where Dortmund had dominated without breaking through and seconds after Zagreb keeper Danijel Zagorac had quite brilliantly denied Donyell Malen. Thanks to Gittens, Dortmund could relax in a game they controlled and eventually they strolled to a It serves as another calling card for the former Manchester City youngster, who seems to be following the path set by Jadon Sancho and Bellingham of a young English player making a mark on the European scene with Dortmund. Whether that path leads him to the senior England squad like Sancho and Bellingham remains to be seen, but Gittens surely cannot fail to have caught the eye of new Three Lions manager and former Dortmund coach Thomas Tuchel.
If he is looking for fresh blood when he names his first England squad in March, Tuchel may consider players like Gittens capable of having a meaningful impact on t.