Unstoppable: Manchester’s Erling Haaland (left) escaped Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol time and time again.
Foto: imago/Picture Point
At 1.94 meters, Erling Haaland was the tallest player on the pitch anyway. But in the course of the magical 7-0 (3-0) triumph in the round of 16 second leg of the Champions League against RasenBallsport Leipzig, the 22-year-old got another huge growth spurt in his perception. With his presence, the miracle striker apparently filled the whole place: all eyes on Erling. With five goals, including a hat-trick in the first half, the blonde giant equaled the record of Lionel Messi with FC Barcelona and Luiz Adriano for Shakhtar Donetsk in the premier class.
After the historic Haaland show, the 52,000 fans in the stadium rose in disbelief from their seats and applauded spellbound when city coach Pep Guardiola replaced him after a good hour. “I told Pep when I left the pitch that I would have liked to have scored a double hat-trick,” said the Norwegian, smiling at the TV microphone. “But what should I do?” Guardiola countered quickly: “I gave him the chance to have goals in the future.”
Erling Haaland nevertheless secured the ball after the final whistle, tucked the ball under his arm and did a small lap of honor on the pitch while the Eurodance classic “No limit” boomed out of the boxes. No limits – that applies to Haaland at the moment like no other striker in the world. He has scored 39 goals in his first 36 games for the »Cityzens«, more than anyone before him. And never before had a footballer of that age cracked the 30-goal mark in the Champions League. The list could be continued, Haaland sets new records in almost every game.
After the game, the superstar took note of the Bohei about himself in a rather Scandinavian taciturn manner. “It was fantastic, 7-0 at home, scoring five goals, I’m really proud and happy,” he said, embarrassed. “I don’t really have to say much after five goals.” The young man from Molde prefers to let his goals do the talking. And that much louder than the 1-1 draw in the first leg.
The discussion that the British media had constructed before the game as to whether Haaland was suitable for Guardiola football and vice versa is completely paradoxical in view of these numbers. “You don’t know, do they play low or short? They have more options, they can use Erling as a wall player or send him into deep rooms. You’re even more complete now,” said Leipzig coach Marco Rose in astonishment. ‘If he’s here a year longer and knows exactly what Pep wants, it’ll be even better.’ When a British reporter probed again, Rose added: ‘If you don’t want him, send him to me! Just for the last ten games, then you get it back. I love him, as a guy and as a player.«
Haaland showed all his qualities against Leipzig, who had calculated a lot before the game and whom he demoted to bad extras. The former Dortmund player had often scored against RB in the black and yellow jersey. In the spectacle in the rough east of Manchester, he netted from the penalty spot as well as with a header, pushed balls over the line and switched the fastest in set pieces in the fray – a complete striker.
Former Leipzig striker Uwe Rösler, who became a legend at Manchester City in the 90s, told the RBlive portal: “He adapts to the next higher level in a very short time and masters it. He hardly has any setbacks. The way he mentally masters the pressure of expectations, continues to improve in combination play, in headers, in the boxing, in finishing, is always in the right place at the right moment and rarely goes offside with his deep runs is phenomenal.”
For Leipzig, on the other hand, it’s not so easy with the next level up. Rose’s team has now been among the top 16 teams in Europe three times. But the 7-0 debacle, the heaviest defeat in the club’s 14-year history, also shows how big the gap to the top of the world still is. To defend against City’s force, RB simply lacked the class. When injuries like Christopher Nkunku, Dani Olmo and Xaver Schlager hit the office and Leipzig don’t get into the pressing game, the team isn’t up to the challenge. There are too many average players in the squad like Amadou Haidara, Kevin Kampl and Lukas Klostermann.
“We had no chance, in the end we lost face,” said Leipzig’s new sports director Max Eberl after the downfall. It will be an immense challenge for him and coach Rose to rebuild the team over the next few years so that one day it is ready for this level.
