Bayern’s Champions League opponents can build on their top star in the first leg of the quarter-finals on Tuesday. A goal by the striker in Southampton causes amazed faces.
Erling Haaland is ready for Bayern. The football star from Manchester City made an impressive comeback after his groin injury for the Champions League cracker against FC Bayern Munich with spectacular goals and made his coach enthusiastic.
“We’ve had two incredible decades with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Erling is at this level now,” said coach Pep Guardiola after the 4-1 win at Southampton. “His skills are incredible.”
With his 29th and 30th goals of the season on Saturday, the 22-year-old not only demonstrated his appetite for goals, which he quickly regained. His side kick to make it 3-0, which is well worth seeing, amazed even team-mate Kevin De Bruyne, who made his 100th assist in the Premier League in Southampton. “You won’t see a goal like that from me,” emphasized the Belgian, who used to work in Bremen and Wolfsburg. “If I had done it I would be in a hospital in Southampton right now.”
Guardiola compares Haaland to Messi and Ronaldo
Guardiola was “overwhelmed” by his goalscorer’s 44th competitive goal. The return of the former Dortmunder gives the English champion, who is already in good form, even more impetus before the premier class duel on Tuesday (9 p.m.) with the German record champions. “We need him,” Guardiola said of his goalkeeper, who played 68 minutes in Southampton. “It was for games like this that the bosses brought him in. The first half wasn’t at our best level, but he changed the game with that goal.”
Guardiola therefore compared him to the Portuguese Ronaldo, who also scored goal after goal for his clubs. “They are both machines,” explained the 52-year-old. However, Ronaldo and Messi have won numerous titles, including the Champions League several times. “They have dominated for two decades, not just one year,” said Guardiola. “But Erling is only 22 and scoring in the toughest league in the world. What he’s doing is remarkable.”
Haaland should make the difference against Bayern and take the next step towards the long-awaited first Champions League title. “He knows that we create a lot of chances. He then does the rest,” De Bruyne briefly described the Cityzens’ simple match plan.
How the Guardiola team will play against Munich on Tuesday is still open. Due to the change of coach from Julian Nagelsmann to Thomas Tuchel, the 52-year-old has to study his former club intensively until Tuesday. “I haven’t seen a game under him,” said the English champions’ Spanish coach. “Now I have to figure out what we’re going to do.”
