Dortmund's Alcacer hits brace on Spain return
October 12, 2018
It's been a dream start to the season for Borussia Dortmund's on-loan striker Paco Alcacer and it got even better in the eighth minute of Spain's friendly clash with Wales.
Following a layoff from teammate Saul, Alcacer killed the ball with a single touch before curling a pearler across his body and into the top corner of the goal.
The sublime finish and Alcacer's first goal for his national side in just over three years marked a triumphant return to the international arena for a player who had faded from view in the last two seasons as game time in Barcelona dried up.
Twenty minutes later, Alcacer bagged himself a brace, jumping on a loose ball in the box to expertly volley it home.
The 25-year-old's offseason decision to leave Barcelona in search of playing time has paid handsome dividends, with Alcacer now boasting nine goals in his last five games for club and country. Incredibly, he's only started in two of those matches.
His record for Spain now stands at eight goals in just 14 appearances, making a case for the in-form striker to be elevated from backup status into a starring role.
Spain coach Luis Enrique will have a tough decision to make ahead of Spain's UEFA Nations League match against England on Monday, with current first-choice frontman Rodrigo on a six-game barren run for club side Valencia.
However, the new Spain coach, who has a 100-percent record in his first three games, preferred to focus on the team performance.
"Highlighting just one player would be very said," Enrique said.
"I believe we should be proud to have a national team that can go to any ground and dominate. Alcacer was superb and he is in a streak that players sometimes have, but in terms of everything concerned with attitude, it was wonderful."
For Borussia Dortmund, they have reportedly been so impressed by Alcacer's red-hot start to the season that they are looking to make his move to the Ruhr region more permanent. German daily Bild has reported that Dortmund have an option to buy him from Barcelona for €23 million ($27 million), with Alcacer already having agreed to sign a four-year deal with the club.