According to Spanish newspaper Sport, La Liga Golden Boot winner Dovbyk has struggled at the European Championship, seemingly disappearing from the action. He has failed to score in two consecutive group stage matches, putting him at risk of being relegated to the bench in future games.
In the recently concluded 2023/24 La Liga season, Dovbyk captivated fans with his outstanding performances, earning the top scorer title. He excelled against tough opponents like Atlético Madrid and Barcelona, even scoring a hat-trick against Sevilla and a four-goal haul against Granada. However, transitioning to the European Championship, the Ukrainian spearhead seems to have lost his way.
In the European Championship’s Group E, against Romania and Slovakia, Dovbyk failed to break his goalscoring drought, not even managing a shot on target. In the opening 0-3 defeat against Romania, despite playing the full match, he only mustered one shot that went off target. In the second game against Slovakia, despite Ukraine’s eventual 2-1 victory that kept their qualification hopes alive, Dovbyk still couldn’t find his scoring boots, being substituted after 67 minutes. In his place, Yarmolenko scored the decisive goal.
It’s worth noting that the match against Slovakia coincided with Dovbyk’s 27th birthday, a day that should have been a celebration, but he found himself grappling with the conflicting emotions of poor personal performance and team victory. Throughout the match, he ran and tackled tirelessly, but only managed two shots, neither of which posed a threat. His number of touches was also minimal.
Considering Yarmolenko’s impressive performance as a substitute, Dovbyk’s starting spot in the crucial upcoming match against Belgium is no longer guaranteed. Coach Rebrov has made it clear that players who are out of form won’t get game time. This is similar to goalkeeper Lunin, who was replaced by Trubin after his mistakes in the first game, even though Lunin had a fantastic season at Real Madrid, helping the team win both La Liga and the Champions League.
Currently, Ukraine sits second in Group E with 3 points thanks to their win over Slovakia. To secure their place in the knockout stages, they need at least a draw in their final group game against Belgium. Whether Dovbyk can rediscover his La Liga Golden Boot form and help his country break through is the focus of attention.
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