WITH Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez performing their usual wizardry at Barcelona, there was no room in the starting lineup for 25-year-old striker Paco Alcacer.

Signed from Valencia for A$50m in August 2016 on the back of a season which yielded a combined 20 goal involvements, Alcacer was relegated to a periphery role at the Nou Camp – starting just 14 league matches across two seasons.

The 13-time Spanish international was granted a move to Borussia Dortmund at the beginning of the season after a disappointing spell with the Catalans, joining initially on loan with a view to making the move permanent.

Dortmund's Spanish forward Paco Alcacer celebrates scoring a hat-trick against Augsburg Source: AFP

But in an incredible series of events, Alcacer has actually outscored the both Suarez and Messi domestically thus far this season… after playing just 81 minutes.

THIS SEASON:

Paco Alcacer (Bundesliga): 81 minutes, 6 goals

Lionel Messi (La Liga): 575 minutes, 5 goals

Luis Suarez (La Liga): 569 minutes, 3 goals

Paco Alcácer in the Bundesliga this season:



3 games

81 minutes

0 starts



10 shots

6 shots on target

6 goals

1 hat-trick



Just utterly bonkers. 🤪 pic.twitter.com/nKgnycTcW7 — Squawka Football (@Squawka) October 6, 2018

Overnight, the Spaniard netted a sublime hat-trick in just 31 minutes on the park to snatch an epic 4-3 comeback victory over Augsberg in the Bundesliga.

It’s the crowning jewel of a jaw dropping first month of action at the Westfalenstadion, which has seen him make three substitute appearances in the league for six goals. He currently sits atop the golden boot standings in Germany’s top flight after a blistering start, and also boasts one goal from one appearance in the Champions League this season.

Dortmund's Spanish forward Paco Alcacer Source: AFP

Luckily for Barca, they’re not exactly missing the attacker. Led from the front by captain Messi, who has five goals to his name in La Liga thus far through 7 matches, they currently sit in top spot.

But thanks to Alcacer’s astonishing prolific streak, Dortmund are flying three points clear at the summit in Germany, having scored nine more goals than any other team in the competition.

Incredibly, the striker has only landed six shots on target thus far, and every single one of them has found the back of the net.

What a recruit.