Achraf Hakimi was in excellent form again this weekend for Borussia Dortmund. Teammate Jadon Sancho dominated the headlines after notching a hat-trick in the 6-1 win over Paderborn. However, 21-year-old Hakimi also found the net and produced another consistent display which caught the eye.
Borussia Dortmund’s Unsung Hero: Achraf Hakimi
Reliable and Consistent
Hakimi made the right midfield position his own in Lucien Favre‘s preferred 3-4-2-1 formation. The Morrocan joined Dortmund as a right full-back, but his recent performances demonstrate how he is well balanced between attack and defence.
In the last nine fixtures, Hakimi has scored three goals and provided four assists for his teammates in all competitions. He is now beginning to show the consistency which led Dortmund to take the youngster on loan from Real Madrid for a second consecutive season.
Overall, Hakimi scored nine goals and made ten assists in 41 appearances for Dortmund this season. His attacking threat is also reflected in his attacking statistics. On average, the wide midfielder attempts nearly four dribbles per game – only Jadon Sancho (4.5) attempts more. Hakimi is also fouled nearly twice per game, highlighting the pressure he puts on opposition players.
But it’s also the defensive contributions that demonstrate the complete player that Hakimi is developing into. The Morrocan attempted more tackles than any other player this season (86) and also made the most successful tackles in the team (54). Centre-back Mats Hummels leads the chase with 47 tackles completed this season.
Hakimi’s Eyes Set on Madrid?
It’s clear that Hakimi is developing a top player. His marked improvements from last year’s loan spell at Dortmund are clear. However, it seems as though the 21-year-old wants to play at Madrid in the long-term.
Last week, Hakimi’s agent, Alejandro Camano, told Onda Madrid: “He will link up with Madrid when the championship ends.
“We’ll see what happens. He wants to play games like he has this year when he has been a starter in all the matches.
“With Madrid, there’s a magnificent dialogue and they want to have him on their radar. And what we want is to not be too far away from Real Madrid.
“So we will reach an agreement for whatever, whether he stays or goes, but without forgetting that his aim is to play one day for Madrid, which for him is the best team in the world.”
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