Jadon Sancho marked his return to the Borussia Dortmund line-up with the first hat-trick of his senior career as his side hammered relegation strugglers Paderborn 6-1 on Sunday.
Sancho has been nursing an injury problem since the Bundesliga’s restart earlier this month, and had been restricted to three substitute appearances so far, but with Erling Haaland out he was recalled to the starting XI by Lucien Favre and produced a terrific display.
Dortmund had toiled in the first-half, going in 0-0 against a side who seem destined for the drop, but came alive after the break, with Thorgan Hazard opening the scoring before Sancho nabbed his first from close range after good work from Julian Brandt.
The England international marked the strike by revealing a t-shirt calling for ‘Justice for George Floyd’. The death of Mr Floyd - an unarmed black man - while in police custody in Minneapolis on Monday after he was knelt on by police officer Derek Chauvin has sparked protests across the United States and beyond.
A contentious penalty gave Paderborn brief hope but Sancho made the points safe within minutes with a smart left-footed strike.
Achraf Hakimi and Marcel Schmelzer quickly gave the scoreline a convincing look before Sancho swept home a breakaway sixth to earn the match ball.
The 20-year-old now has 17 goals and 16 assists in 27 league games this season, amid transfer speculation linking him with a summer move to Manchester United.
