“That is our weapon this season”: Fabio Silva is the best super-sub in Borussia Dortmund’s history
Fabio Silva rarely starts and wanted to leave Borussia Dortmund in the summer. But the 24-year-old forward stayed and is immensely valuable to the club.
Fancy a drinking game? Every time Fabio Silva says "the most important" in an interview, take a shot. Be warned: you'll need to hold your drink.
That phrase cropped up four times when Silva spoke to the press on Saturday evening after scoring as a substitute in Borussia Dortmund's 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich. During his few minutes in the mixed zone, another favourite emerged: "Everyone can see."
For example: "The most important thing was the mentality. We came here to show that we want to fight for titles and that we're not afraid of any team. I think everyone can see that we have a top squad this season to fight for major goals," said Silva. His team-mate Nico Schlotterbeck had spoken shortly before him, and both sounded as confident as they looked.
In Munich, the Portuguese delivered another excellent performance as a substitute. His goal was a technical delight: he anticipated where the ball would arrive, took a deliberate first touch to set up the shot, turned in a tight space and finished precisely.
Paco Alcacer? Fabio Silva is Dortmund's best-ever substitute!
"My father always told me that I have to 'smell' the ball in the penalty area. And I was there to put away the rebound. I'm happy I could help the team," he said. Silva has already scored five goals in competitive matches this season, having managed three throughout the whole of last season. Seven goal contributions in 13 appearances is an impressive return for a player who has started only five times.
Could Silva be Dortmund's best-ever substitute? Former Dortmund forward Paco Alcacer is the obvious comparison, and the Bundesliga record holder. The Spaniard scored twelve goals after coming on for the Westphalian club between 2018 and 2020. No player in the league's history has scored more often as a substitute.
Silva has six goals as a substitute during his time at Dortmund. Set aside goals, an obviously significant measure, and the 24-year-old has the edge over Alcacer. He brings infectious energy as soon as he steps onto the pitch, makes himself available for passes and threatens both to score and to create. His work ethic off the bench stands out.
Fabio Silva has helped Dortmund to a better result seven times
Of the 17 goal contributions Silva has recorded in 52 competitive matches for Dortmund, eight goals and nine assists, seven ultimately helped the club to a better result than they had before he came on.
Yet the once-capped international nearly spent this season away from the Ruhr region. In the summer, just a year after Dortmund had paid Wolverhampton Wanderers €22.5 million for him, Silva and his entourage were very interested in a move.
After the previous season in the shadow of the established Serhou Guirassy, Silva had apparently had enough. Coach Niko Kovac continued to back Guirassy even during periods of glaring goal drought. Silva had amassed a more than respectable ten goal contributions, three goals and seven assists, but started only ten of his 39 competitive matches.
Summer transfer rumours: what Fabio Silva says now
"There was too much fuss around me during the transfer window, but that's normal and part of football," Silva said in Munich, looking back on that period about three months ago. A meeting with Kovac and sporting director Ole Book changed his mind. "We had a great conversation before the transfer window closed. I feel — and I knew — that I still have a lot to give this club. I have even more to give it. I love playing for this club and the fans. I'm happy here," he said.
On the pitch, Silva has so far been much more effective for Dortmund as a substitute than as a starter. From kick-off, he sometimes tries to do too much, overthinks things, becomes too individualistic and tries too hard to force moments of his own. Last season, Dortmund won only three of the ten matches Silva started. In four of those, he played alongside Guirassy.
That partnership has clearly improved this season. The two forwards show their enjoyment when they play together, and their link-up play has worked well on several occasions. "It's not just about goals. As a player, I'm more than just a goalscorer," Silva said. "Even more so when I'm on the pitch with Serhou. We work very well together. He's one of the best players in his position. I learn from him every day."
Between the bench and the starting line-up: Fabio Silva seems to have accepted his Dortmund role
Then his new favourite phrase returned: "Everyone can see that we can sometimes play together and that we enjoy it." That "sometimes" captures Silva's position. He and Guirassy sometimes play together, and Silva sometimes starts, but at a club like Dortmund, with the Guinean competing for his place, he cannot expect to start every game.
Silva seems to have accepted that. The grumpiness and slight sulkiness that surfaced from time to time in his first year and at the Super Cup at the start of the season have disappeared. His performances have improved, too.
"Of course I'd rather start than sit on the bench. If I claimed otherwise, I wouldn't be 100 per cent honest," Silva said. "I always try to stay positive during the week. When I see that I'm not playing, of course I'm annoyed at first, but I know I can be important for the team — this season I've been important both as a starter and as a substitute."
Are Dortmund ready to win titles? "That is our weapon this season"
Kovac likes to call his substitutes "finishers", and they have made an enormous impact so far. Dortmund substitutes have registered twelve goal contributions, the joint highest in the league alongside RB Leipzig. Their eight assists leading to goals after eight matchdays set a new Bundesliga record.
At this fairly early stage of the season, nobody knows where that will lead. But inside the Allianz Arena on Saturday, Dortmund's players sounded convinced they have a real chance of winning silverware this year.
"We came here to win. That has to be our attitude this season," said Silva, who last won a title more than three years ago with PSV Eindhoven. "We have a lot of quality in our team. And we know we have a fantastic team this year. The lads in the starting line-up, the lads who come off the bench: they always make their mark. That is our weapon this season: everyone sticks together, everyone is in the same boat and gives everything, because the fans and everyone at the club deserve to win titles."
Fabio Silva: his performance figures at Dortmund
