By Oliver Trust
BERLIN, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- Who honestly could expect someone leaving south Spain and its never-ending sunshine coming to an industrial city like Dortmund with freezing temperatures in winter to feel happy with the world?
Paco Alcacer doesn't mind if you call it the biggest surprise of his life. Everything seems to be coming so easily for the 25-year-old whose statistics in the Borussia Dortmund shirt are breathtaking. Six goals in 81 minutes make for heavenly reading.
His scoring streak also continued in his last games for the Spanish national team. Spain coach Luis Enrique is full of admiration after Alcacer scored twice in last week's internationals. "He is massive at the moment as he is in a state players rarely achieve. What we are seeing from him is miraculous."
Alcacer is the man of the moment as he has sparked euphoria at his new club. Fans rejoice about an outstanding striker providing goals. Media and pundits call him the clubs biggest bargain.
He however has also sparked controversial discussions and allegations back home.
Spanish media are asking in disbelief why on earth did Barcelona allow him to leave? "Alcacer could turn into a historical mistake for Barcelona," the Spanish sports-paper Marca commented. El Mundo Deportivo wrote: "He has finally found peace in Germany. Barcelona's club leaders didn't believe in him."
Looking at his past years, his present upswing is a mystery.
Successful in Valencia, his hometown, Alcacer joined Barcelona for 30 million euros but couldn't get past like stars such as Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez. His potential bloomed when he left on loan. He left Spain with the impression he wasn't valued enough.
Despite scoring five goals in EURO 2016 qualifying he wasn't picked for the squad.
In Dortmund, things changed. "They love me and I love them. I'm still flattered by the warm welcome given me by the club and fans," he said. Meanwhile, Dortmund intend on taking up the option to buy him for 23 million euro. To date the Blacks and Yellows have paid two million euros for the loan deal.
Now Dortmund seems to have found the last piece of the puzzle. "He feels football," says Borussia's Swiss coach Lucien Favre.
Alcacer's explanations sound as simple as they are convincing. "It is a mixture of everything, luck, self-confidence, the coach's trust, game minutes and daily work," the father of a young daughter said.
It is evident that Alcacer is vital for Dortmund's current success as the side is topping the Bundesliga and is said to be a serious rival to Bayern Munich for the league championship title this this season.
For Alcacer it must feel like the biggest dreams have come true as the family-man still has to live with the loss of his father, a farmer, who died in 2011 at the age of only 44. The relationship between father and son was described as being very close.
"What remains is the memory that he at least saw my first goal for Valencia in a friendly against AS Roma," the striker said without adding "before he died."
Life continues while memories remain and Alcacer is trying to concentrate on his future challenges like continuing his goal-scoring streak in the upcoming winter in Dortmund, far away from where he once started.
