C1: Haaland waited for his turn with Manchester City against Real | TV5MONDE

The titanic clash between Manchester City and Real Madrid, on Wednesday in the fourth leg of the Champions League, is a golden opportunity for Erling Haaland, silent in the first leg (3-3), to criticize his poor performances in major tournaments.

The blockbuster shows the English title holder, carried by his superheroes (Rodri, De Bruyne, Foden, Silva…) and Pep Guardiola, facing Real and their fourteen European crowns (record), led by Vinicius and consorts under the leadership of Carlo Ancelotti.

At the heart of this luxurious casting, Haaland occupies a special place: a prolific goalscorer feared by defenses the world over, but whose recent dynamism has raised eyebrows.

“He is undoubtedly one of the greatest goalscorers in the world, but he is yet to become a world-class player,” former defender Jamie Carragher said in a column for The Telegraph published after the first leg to Madrid.

The ex-Liverpool defender particularly pointed out the lack of impact, and goals scored, from the Norwegian giants against Arsenal, Liverpool and Real, that is, when the level of adversity is ‘student.

“Haland was dominated by William Saliba, Virgil van Dijk and Antonio Rüdiger The best attackers would not have been,” judged “Carra”. On Network X, he added: “He has to do better against elite defenders and that starts on Wednesday.”

The Spanish press were not kind to his performance in the first leg, described as “helpless” by daily Marca, while AS judged him “clumsy and desperate” in his attempts to dominate Rüdiger.

“4th division player”

The 23-year-old striker has already proven his ability to torture the continent’s best teams. But he’s really struggled to deliver those performances lately.

Since returning from injury (foot) at the end of January after a two-month absence, he has scored in seven of the eighteen games he has appeared in, for club and country. In that interval, he remained silent against Chelsea, Liverpool, Newcastle, Arsenal and Real, a year after already keeping a clean sheet against the Spaniards in the C1 semi-final.

More generally, some observers have pointed out his weak influence during the game, and believed that his selection of players seemed too limited.

“In front of goal he’s the best in the world but his game in general is really mediocre for a player like that,” tackled Roy Keane at the end of March. “He almost looks like a League Two player (the 4th English division, ed. note),” added the former Manchester United great, close enemy of Alf-Inge Haaland, Erling’s father, since their years together in English country.

Pep Guardiola defended the often invisible and always collective work of his foal.

The No.9, by magnetizing the defenders, helps the team “by creating good space for others to score. I saw it on his face, in what he said after the match, in the dressing room, he was extremely happy (in Madrid), assured the Spaniard .

Unbeatable at the Etihad

Criticized or praised, the former Borussia Dortmund player is already one of the top twenty goalscorers in Champions League history (41 goals in 38 games), for just his fifth game.

And there is no doubt for Real to relax their vigilance.

“We didn’t see much of him in the first leg, but Haaland could be one of the best goalscorers in the world at the moment. He is still very, very dangerous,” warned Carlo Ancelotti, the Madrid coach, on Tuesday at press conference.

The second leg will leave one of the two European trolls in the table, both present in the semi-finals in the previous three seasons.

However, Manchester City will have the advantage of receiving, which looks to be a significant advantage given their usual dominance at the Etihad Stadium.

Guardiola’s armada have not lost at home since November 2022, in all competitions, and since September 2018 in the Champions League, a 2-1 setback against Olympique Lyonnais.

On Wednesday, the “Citizens” could extend their streak of matches (domestic and European) without defeat at home to 42 and equal the club record established more than a century ago (December 1919 to November 1921).