A scorer for the sixth time this season in C1, Giroud has followed the pace of the greatest in Europe for three years.
You can be a luxury replacement and yet find a way to sit at the table of the greatest. With 18 goals scored since his Champions League debut, Olivier Giroud is light years away from the realms of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but the French striker has established himself as a safe bet in recent seasons.
A goalscorer against Atlético Madrid on Tuesday night in the Champions League’s eighth first leg, the former Arsenal striker increased his scoring tally to six in 2020-21. He was certainly helped by his quadruple registered against Sevilla FC during the group stage but Giroud is currently the second co-top scorer of this campaign. While Erling Haaland continues to impress match after match, the world champion took second place alongside Marcus Rashford, Neymar and Alvaro Morata.
The last time the French striker shone on the European stage, Chelsea had gone to the end. It was certainly in the Europa League but the Blues had relied on their French striker to lift the C3 in Baku against neighbor Arsenal. With eleven goals, Giroud finished top scorer in the competition. Bis repetita this year? The Habs hope so anyway, he who has never known the top 8 of the Champions League since his debut in the competition.
“That’s a good stat,” he modestly replied on ‘RMC’. I think it’s related to my quadruple against Sevilla (laughs). I’m happy, you have to keep that. competition, it will carry me like the Europa League in 2019 and bring us happiness. ”
Happiness, Olivier Giroud must also find it when he sees his name associated with Lewandowski, Messi or Haaland. Unlike the three strikers, he is not an indisputable player in his club, which does not prevent him from being among the most decisive in Europe.
With his achievement against Atlético, the Grenoblois has brought his number of goals scored in three seasons on the European stage to 17. A feat that only Lewandowski (27), Messi (19) and Haaland (18) managed to beat. Always criticized, Olivier Giroud prefers to answer on the ground and it succeeds him rather well.
Only 3 players have scored more goals than Olivier Giroud in European competition since 2018/19:
Lewandowski – 27
Messi – 19
Haaland – 18