‘I feel for him’ - Klinsmann points out why Haaland struggled against Real Madrid

Erling Haaland struggled to shake off Rudiger when Man City faced Real Madrid at the Bernabeu (Imago)

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Erling Haaland struggled to shake off Rudiger when Man City faced Real Madrid at the Bernabeu (Imago)

‘I feel for him’ - Klinsmann points out why Haaland struggled against Real Madrid

Seye Omidiora 18:43 - 10.04.2024

Erling Haaland managed only one shot in Manchester City’s thrilling 3-3 draw with Real Madrid, prompting the former Germany striker to explain why the striker was neutralised.

Erstwhile Germany striker Jurgen Klinsmann has shed light on Erling Haaland’s latest struggles against Real Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu.  

Real Madrid vs Man City

Carlo Ancelotti’s men fell behind to an early Bernardo Silva goal, led 2-1 and trailed 3-2 before finding an outstanding Federico Valverde equaliser with 12 minutes remaining to secure a 3-3 draw. 

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Despite the game’s glut of goals, quality chances were at a premium, with the six netted an upshot of the finishing ability of the players on both sides.  

Haaland’s struggles against Real Madrid

Haaland was yet again on the fringes of the game, touching the ball 20 times and attempting one shot in the match’s entirety. 

The Norwegian has had a far-from-perfect second year under Pep Guardiola, with observers criticising his hold-up play and hit-and-miss finishing. The latter made up for last season’s lack of involvement and perceived weaknesses in the striker’s game but have been magnified in year two. 

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What Klinsmann said about Haaland’s performance against Real Madrid

The former centre-forward was empathetic to the City striker’s absence of service, believing he was not put in ample situations to thrive with Kevin De Bruyne absent. 

“I feel for Erling Haaland because it’s not easy to get him in good positions in these games,” Klinsmann said on ESPN. “It’s difficult because if he’s left alone…especially if you’re left alone against Rudiger, which was often the case today.

“He needs support, and obviously when you have a team like Man City, they have 80, 85% possession and teams park the bus, there’s no real space for Erling, so it’s difficult for him. 

Erling Haaland managed only one attempt against Real Madrid (Imago)
Erling Haaland managed only one attempt against Real Madrid (Imago)

“With De Bruyne, there’s a natural connection, so when De Bruyne is on the field, he always has an eye on Haaland for his runs. But when De Bruyne is not there, he struggles a little bit more.

“I feel for him. It’s tough for him. Especially in games like today - Real Madrid. This is the type of game you want to shine against such a big game, and unfortunately, he didn’t have the opportunity to do so.”  

What comes next for Haaland?

Having put Luton Town to the sword in February’s FA Cup fifth round at Kenilworth Road, scoring five times in the Cityzens’ 6-2 success, Haaland should look forward to this weekend’s Premier League match-up against the Hatters. 

Both sides battle again on Saturday, with Pep Guardiola’s men keen to put pressure on table-topping Arsenal and second-placed Liverpool by going ahead in the league before the challengers host Aston Villa and Crystal Palace, respectively, on Sunday.