With the UEFA Champions League semifinals looming, there's only five games remaining in the competition to determine who will take home the tournament's golden boot award, and the race is far from over.
The expanded Champions League league phase plus the the knockout stage playoffs offered players more opportunities to up their goal tally. In previous editions, teams could play a maximum of 13 games in a Champions League season if they reached the final. Now, there are teams that have already played 14 games ahead of the semifinals with the new format.
Four players have already achieved double-digit goal campaigns in Europe's top tier competition this season, with some of the most lethal goalscorers in world soccer among or near that mark.
However, it's currently an unexpected striker that leads the golden boot race to become the top scorer in the 2024–25 Champions League.
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UEFA Champions League Golden Boot Race Ahead of Semifinals
Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy currently sits alone atop the Champions League golden boot race with 13 goals. The Guinea international scored a hat trick in the second leg of the quarterfinals vs. Barcelona to retake the lead in the race. However, Borussia Dortmund exited the competition and he's at risk of losing the top spot to his two nearest chasers.
The Barcelona duo of Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski will look to take advantage of their remaining games to overtake Guirassy. The Brazilian's 12 goals topped the list prior to the second legs of the quarterfinals and he'll be eager to recapture the top spot. Raphinha is also leading the Champions League in assists this season, as his superb European campaign has him as the current favorite to win this year's Ballon d'Or.
Lewandowski became the first player ever to reach double-digit goals in a Champions League season for three different clubs, having done it for Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich and now Barcelona. The Polish striker has 11 goals and will look to overtake Raphinha and Guirassy to collect his second career Champions League golden boot.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as UEFA Champions League Golden Boot Race Ahead of Semifinals: Guirassy, Raphinha, Lewandowski.
