Erling Haaland is poised to become the most expensive asset ever in the Fantasy Premier League, as the initial set of player prices was revealed on Monday.
The Manchester City striker had an outstanding debut season in England, netting an impressive 36 goals, making him an extremely sought-after player among FPL owners.
Haaland will start the season with a remarkable price tag of 14 million euros, surpassing any previous player cost.
However, he joins the ranks of Thierry Henry, Robin Van Persie, and Cristiano Ronaldo, who have all been priced similarly in the past.
Meanwhile, the list released by the Premier League’s website shows that Mohamed Salah’s price has dropped from 13 million euros to 12.5 million euros. Despite Liverpool’s underwhelming season overall, the three-time Golden Boot winner still managed to score 19 goals.
Heung-min Son’s price has also dropped from 12m euros to 9m euros after registering a disappointing season. The South Korean won the Golden Boot in the 2021/2022 season.
Martin Odegaard and Bruno Fernandes will cost 8.5m euros each, while Chelsea’s new boy Christopher Nkunku will go for 7.5m euros.
More prices are expected to follow in the course of the week, with Harry Kane expected to rank highly as well. TheTottenham Hotspur striker’s future remains uncertain, with Bayern Munich interested.
Javier Zanetti has expressed his support for Lionel Messi to win the 2023 Ballon d’Or award, even though Erling Haaland won a treble in his first season with Manchester City.
Both Messi and Haaland are strong contenders for the prestigious award this year, given their exceptional performances for Argentina and Manchester City, respectively.
As reported by Sportskeeda, Zanetti believes that Messi’s achievement of winning the World Cup with his country surpasses other accomplishments and puts him in the prime position to secure his eighth Ballon d’Or title.
“I think Messi deserves it because he managed to fulfil his dream of winning the World Cup as an absolute protagonist. In my opinion, he’s been the best for several years.”
The veteran led Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup title, his country’s first since Diego Armando Maradona last won the title for La Albiceleste in 1986.
Di Maria lauds Messi partnership
Meanwhile, Angel di Maria has revealed that playing alongside his compatriot, Messi, has been the best thing that has happened in his glittering career, Daily Post reports.
The ex-Real Madrid star shared the pitch with the veteran both at a club level – with Paris Saint-Germain – and at an international level, where they won the 2022 World Cup.
While Messi will officially join Inter Miami in MLS once his contract expires this month, Di Maria could join Benfica after leaving Juventus as a free agent this summer.
Messi wins Ligue 1 award
Earlier, Sports Brief reported on Argentine captain, Messi being adjudged ‘best foreign player’ in Ligue 1 for the 2022/23 campaign.
The 36-year-old notched 16 league goals and provided 16 assists for Paris Saint-Germain in the French top flight division last term.
Messi, who won the 2022 World Cup midway through the season, aided PSG in winning the title before signing with Inter Miami in MLS.
Erling Haaland has learned an important lesson about not refusing the requests of young fans, regardless of the game’s outcome, following an incident involving some Norwegian children.
Despite Haaland scoring a goal, Norway faced a disappointing 2-1 home defeat to Scotland in the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying series, conceding two late goals.
Although Haaland had given the hosts the lead with a penalty midway through the second half, Scotland managed to stage a comeback with two goals in just three minutes after Haaland had been substituted towards the end of the match.
The result puts Norway in a precarious position, having picked up just one point from three games and playing Cyprus next at home before ending the post-season international break.
Young Norway fans boo Haaland
The 22-year-old was the last to hop into the team bus and was met by a group of young fans who chanted his name and were expecting a meet and greet.
As spotted in a video published on Twitter by Mail Sport, he waved at the kids and went straight into the bus, which left the kids disappointed and booed him.
Theformer Borussia Dortmund forward struggled throughout the game, particularly in the first half, where Squawka noted that he had just eight touches, completed three passes and recorded zero shots.
Fans claimed he was still suffering from the hangover of City’s wild treble celebrations, which went on for days before he teamed up with the national team. In contrast, others claimed his regular creator Kevin De Bruyne is not his national teammate.
Solbakken explains Haaland’s struggle
Sports Brief reported that Norway national team boss Stale Solbakken explained Haaland’s struggles during their 2-1 loss to Scotland.
He was hauled off in the 84th minute, but the head coach admitted it should have come at least 10-12 minutes earlier as he asked to be subbed off.
He added that thePremier League golden boot winner was uncomfortable with the heat in Oslo as it was about 30°C hot and he was completely empty.
Haaland joined the national team following days of exuberant celebrations after Manchester City’s triumph in the UEFA Champions League, where they completed the treble.
His contribution to City’s successful season was significant, with 54 goals in all competitions. He even secured the golden boots in both the UCL and Premier League.
However, towards the end of the season, Haaland experienced a dip in form, failing to find the net in the last six games. This included crucial matches like the FA Cup and Champions League finals against Manchester United and Inter Milan.
Haaland struggled for Norway
The 22-year-old returned to his home country and was selected to start the qualifying game against Scotland but was below par throughout his 84 minutes on the pitch.
Squawka noted his abysmal first half, where he recorded just eight touches of the ball and made three passes. Fans think he was still battling with the hangover from the celebrations, but his head coach Stale Solbakken has revealed why.
“He asked to be changed. We kept him on the pitch 10-12 minutes longer. In the last few minutes he was on the field, we played with one less man,” he told reporters as translated by Goal.
“He was completely empty. He has only played 60 minutes several times before. We’re talking about it being 30 degrees; it is applied. He ran out of steam.”
Sports Brief reported that Haaland aimed a dig at Arsenal with a Champions League song during City’s treble celebrations.
City has been mocked with the song ‘Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that’ by Nottingham Forest fans all season, and the 22-year-old asked that the Citizens fans sing the same.
In the 2022-23 season, several well-known players made a significant impact across Europe’s top five leagues.
Through analyzing the statistics, we can identify the standout performers among them.
Goals: Erling Haaland (Manchester City) — 36
Manchester City sensation Erling Haaland blew away all competition in the goalscoring department last season.
The 22-year-old bagged 36 strikes in 35 Premier League appearances, with Harry Kane the only other player in Europe’s top five divisions to break the 30-goal mark.
Assists: Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain) — 16
Kevin De Bruyne and Antoine Griezmann also delivered 16 assists, but Lionel Messi gets the nod by virtue of the fact he scored the most goals of the three (16).
Despite his consistent output, the Inter Miami-bound Argentine World Cup winner was at times booed by Paris Saint-Germain supporters.
Bruno Fernandes did not have his most productive season with Manchester United in terms of assists, but still exhibited his creative talents.
The Portuguese maestro also led the way in Europe’s top tiers for big chances created with 32.
On top of completing the most take-ons, the 22-year-old scored 10 goals and notched nine assists from his 33 LaLiga appearances, enhancing his reputation as one of the world’s best wingers.
Passes: Lewis Dunk (Brighton) — 2,900
Lewis Dunk’s evolution into a pass master from the back has been one of the catalysts for Brighton’s rise over the past two years.
The England international, 31, also had the most touches of any player with 3,520.
Tackles: Joao Palhinha (Fulham) — 147
Joao Palhinha’s rapid adaptation to the demands of Premier League football played a major role in Fulham finishing 10th and avoiding relegation with ease.
But the ex-Sporting lynchpin’s love of tackling did see him also pick up the joint-most yellow cards last term (14).
Lyon centre-back Castello Lukeba, 20, is one of the brightest defensive prospects in Europe — and he loves making interceptions.
He is also pretty good with the ball at his feet, ranking 20th for passes completed (2,026) with an impressive accuracy to boot (90.37%).
Aerial duels won: Philipp Hofmann (Bochum) — 214
Bochum striker Philipp Hofmann, 30, helped the club finish 14th in the Bundesliga and survive the drop with his eight goals and two assists.
Unsurprisingly, three of those goals were headers, which came in victories against Eintracht Frankfurt, Union Berlin and Hertha Berlin.
Clean sheets: Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Barcelona) — 26
The Germany international conceded only 18 goals in the Spanish top flight — the lowest total in Europe’s top five league — and ranked fourth for passes completed among goalkeepers (1,011).
Saves: David Raya (Brentford) — 154
David Raya looks destined to leave Brentford this summer after a superb season with the gloves.
On top of his 154 saves, the Spaniard was the keeper with the most final third passes (118) and most long passes (410) completed in the Premier League.
Haaland stresses the importance of getting some sun as soon as he wakes up, while he wears special glasses which filter out blue light to help him sleep.
The Manchester City team has been in a celebratory mood after achieving a historic treble in the 2022/23 season, including winning the club’s first-ever Champions League trophy.
During the celebrations, Phil Foden’s son, Ronnie, approached Haaland while he was holding the Champions League trophy. The video has gained popularity online due to its lighthearted and humorous nature.
Quite innocently, the little Ronnie can be heard telling Haaaland , “I thought you were a girl!”, a statement which clearly caught the Norwegian striker off guard.
The young lad then briefly plays with the Champions League trophy before getting called back to join his dad.
Out of Context of Football 😂😂#SportsGist Black Stars | Prison Break | Mohammed Kudus | Chris Hughton | Vodafone | Ghanaian Drill | Umtiti | Ansu Fati pic.twitter.com/kkz33xLdjC
Despite not scoring in the 1-0 win over Inter, the 22-year old has been integral for Pep Guardiola’s side.
According to Transfermkt, he has scored 52 goals in 52 appearances for The Citizens.
Ronnie Foden and Rico Lewis
Sports Brief also reported on the cute moment involving Ronnie Foden and Rico Lewis.
As seen in a Snapchat video shared on Twitter by ESPNFC, fellow academy star Rico Lewis shared a car side moment with Foden’s son. He enjoyed it so much that he asked for the video be sent to his dad.
The 23-year-old added the Champions League to his haul of trophies for his boyhood club. Lewis and Cole Palmer are the other academy graduates to join Foden in the first team this year.
Isabel Johansen, the girlfriend of Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, experienced immense joy and celebration as she marked her partner’s triumph in the Champions League on Saturday, June 10.
Manchester City secured their first-ever Champions League title with a 1-0 victory over Inter Milan, courtesy of a goal scored by Rodri in the second half.
This achievement also completed a treble for manager Pep Guardiola this season, making him the first coach to accomplish this feat with two different clubs, having previously done so with Barcelona in 2009.
Following the game, Johansen was captured in photos alongside Haaland, and social media images showcased her radiant presence adorned with a Norwegian flag during the festive celebrations.
More photos showed the couple posing alongside the Champions League trophy, with families of theManchester City players being invited to join in the on-pitch celebrations.
Also in the stands was Haaland’s dad Alfie, who spent 10 seasons with Manchester City before the club became the force that many fans know of today.
The moment that warmed many fans on social media was when Johansen caught up to Haaland, who was seated on a chair in the middle of the pitch, before wrapping the flag around the striker and seemingly locking lips with him.
Haaland then showed the gentle side of him as he offered Johansen his seat soon after.
19-year old Johansen is reported to have moved from Norway to Manchester, England to be closer to Haaland.
The couple met through the sport of football when they were still children after Haaland joined Norwegian side Bryne FK at just five years old.
Haaland’s dream debut season
In terms of his football, Haaland has had a season to remember at Manchester City in his very first year in England.
As per Transfermkt, the Norwegian scored 52 goals in 53 appearances across all competitions, winning a treble and individual awards along the way, including the Premier League Golden Boot and Player of The Season.
Inside Man City’s treble celebrations
Sports Brief also took a glimpse of Manchester City’s treble celebrations amongst the different players on Saturday evening.
Grealish, who led his teammates, friends and family to a nightclub, was caught on camera downing a few cans of booze.
On his part, Erling Haaland toasted his fine season with a cigar, with Kevin De Bruyne, who hobbled off with an injury in the first half, joining his teammates for celebration.
The final of the 2022/2023 European football season was marked by the UEFA Champions League final held in Istanbul.
This season proved to be physically demanding for all involved, as it featured a packed schedule, including a significant break for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
In a tightly contested match at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium, a decisive goal came from Rodri of Manchester City.
His superb curling shot from inside the penalty area secured victory against Inter Milan, allowing Manchester City to achieve a historic treble.
Considering the significance of both the World Cup and the Champions League, it is evident that these tournaments will play a vital role in determining the recipient of the highly coveted individual accolade in football, the Ballon d’Or.
It is set to be a two-horse race for the 2023 award. Sports Brief takes a look at how the vote would possibly go later this year in October.
6. Ilkay Gundogan
Should we call him Mr. Clutch instead? Gundogan’s late bloom to win the Premier League and the FA Cup for Manchester City in his first season as captain has seen his odds rise immensely.
He is definitely bettered by De Bruyne and Haaland in his own team, but his 13 goals and seven goals – especially towards the end of the season – cannot go unmentioned.
Ilkay Gundogan
He joins only a few captains to have captained their sides to winning a treble.
5. Vinicius Junior
It is a good thing the Ballon d’Or award does not account for only the kind of trophies won, but also individual performances as well.
The Real Madrid goal machine finished the season with the Copa Del Rey, the Club World Club, and the UEFA Super Cup.
Barcelona fans were heard chanting ‘Vinicius Die’ during the recent El Clasico fixture at Camp Nou. Image: Alex Caparros Source: Getty Images Read more: https://sportsbrief.com/football/barcelona/36867-barcelona-supporters-verbally-abuse-real-madrid-superstar-chants-vinicius-die/
He is the only player in Europe’s top 5 leagues to have scored at least 20 goals (24) and provided at least 20 assists (25) in all competitions, bar Lionel Messi.
4. Kylian Mbappe
If Messi will dominate this debate because of the World Cup, then his soon-to-be former teammate at Paris Saint-Germain, Kylian Mbappe deserves a shout as well – and with good reason.
The Frenchman was unlucky not to win the December 18 final at the Qatar World Cup despite a historic performance that saw him grab a hat-trick. He missed out on the trophy but won the Golden Boot.
Kylian Mbappe
He has also scored 53 goals and provided 14 assists this season in all competitions, on top of winning the Ligue 1.
3. Kevin De Bruyne
The Belgian heartbreakingly limped off in the UCL final – the second such time he has been forced off injured in the last game of a tournament.
Pep Guardiola and Kevin De Bruyne are dreaming of Champions League success with City (Martin Rickett/PA)
The 31-year-old remains the most elite playmaker in Europe, having provided 32 assists in all competitions.
2. Lionel Messi
Captaining his country and starring at the World Cup at 35 years, finally winning the trophy that eluded him in his illustrious career, saw Messi complete a romantic football moment.
After the Qatar triumph, it looked like he was a stroll for his record eighth Ballon d’Or title, only for Haaland’s heroics in that Manchester City super team to turn a solid argument into a debate.
Messi back in training with PSG after Saudi trip suspension and fine
Apart from the World Cup, the Argentine has also scored 38 times and provided 25 assists in all competitions.
1. Erling Haaland
Between the Champions League and the World Cup, the latter understandably carries more weight. However, the Man City striker has closed the gap on the serial winner, Messi in recent months after the Qatar event.
The 22-year-old might have been silent in the UCL final, but his 53 goals across all competitions helped the Citizens complete the historic treble, with the crowning moment coming in Turkey on June 10.
Erling Haaland has starred in his first season at Manchester City
The last time a player from the Premier League won the Ballon d’Or was Cristiano Ronaldo in 2008, after success in the UCL with Manchester United – an occurence Haaland has now replicated with Manchester City.
Could the Norwegian land his first Ballon d’Or at just 22 years of age – it seems so.
Other 2023 Ballon d’Or candidates
Meanwhile, Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s respective roles in Napoli’s title-winning season will surely hand them a place in the final top 10 places.
Lautaro Martinez did not play a big role in Argentina’s World Cup triumph but delivered in Inter Milan’s run to the Istanbul final and winning a domestic double.
His international teammate, Julian Alvarez, having won the treble with Man City plus the 2022 World Cup, will also feature among the top-ranked players.
Robert Lewandowski suffered an unfamiliar early exit from the Champions League this term but still won another Golden Boot award, this time in a different league.
Reigning holder, Karim Benzema failed to inspire another European success for Real Madrid, but his 31 goals before joining Al-Ittihad will put him in good standing.
The list of the nominees for this year’s Ballon d’Or awards will be announced on September 6, with the winners being announced at a gala in Paris on October 30.
Biggest Ballon d’Or robberies in history
It was also reported on the decision to hold the 2022 World Cup in the ‘weird’ month of December brought about unprecedented debate ahead of the 2023 Ballon d’Or race.
UEFA has named Rodri as the Champions League Player of the Season while seven Manchester City players honored Team of the Season.
The Erling Haaland have also received Goal of the Season honors.
Rodri’s 68th-minute strike made the difference as City beat Inter Milan 1-0 in Istanbul to lift the European Cup and complete a remarkable treble.And on Sunday the 26-year-old was named player of the season by UEFA’s technical observer panel.
Rodri played in all but one of City’s Champions League matches this season, with Saturday’s match-winner his second goal in the tournament this campaign.
The Spain midfielder was joined by six club mates in the team of the season as Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, John Stones, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva and Kyle Walker were all included.Inter’s Federico Dimarco and Alessandro Bastoni were also selected along with Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and forward Vinicius Junior.
City also scooped the goal of the season award through Haaland for his acrobatic strike against former club Borussia Dortmund during the group stages, when he twisted to turn Joao Cancelo’s curling pass into the net during City’s 2-1 win.
The statistics company based their metrics on estimated transfer value in world football when churning out the list, which features the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Haaland among a raft of promising young talents.
Sports Brief takes a look at the top 10 players with the highest transfer market values:
10. Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)
$174 million
Touted as one of the heirs apparent to the Ronaldo-Messi GOAT throne, Kylian Mbappe continues to etch his name in the sands of time, even at the tender age of 24.
Currently ranked 10th on the most valuable footballer list by CIES Football Observatory, Mbappe finished the just-ended season as the top scorer in the French Ligue 1 for a fifth consecutive time.
9. Phil Foden (Manchester City)
$178 million
Despite appearing sporadically in Manchester City’s starting line-up since the season resumed after the 2022 World Cup, Foden’s value has not been affected drastically.
Phil Foden
Glorified as a ‘diamond’ by Man City manager Pep Guardiola, the Englishman stands the chance of winning the treble with the Cityzens.
8. Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)
$182 million
Musiala’s value as a burgeoning talent continues to appreciate as he climbs his way to superstardom. He possesses excellent technical skills, pace, and an eye for goal.
His stunning last-gasp strike helped Bayern win an unprecedented 11th Bundesliga on the bounce.
7. Gavi (FC Barcelona)
$186 million
Gavi has established himself as one of Spain’s brilliant football stars. To underline his immense potential, the teen midfielder scooped home the FIFA Golden Boy and Kopa Trophy accolades in 2022.
The 18-year-old exhibits striking resemblances in both name and playing style to Xavi. Despite his youth, Gavi has already shattered numerous records, solidifying his place as the fourth-youngest player to grace the field for Barcelona and the third-youngest goal scorer in the history of the club, per Foottheball.
6. Pedri (FC Barcelona)
$190 million
Pedri possesses a blend of exceptional attributes that set him apart on the field. He is renowned for his speed, intelligence, creativity, and unwavering work ethic.
His technical prowess, impeccable ball control, precise passing, heightened awareness, and visionary abilities contribute to his outstanding performances.
Furthermore, Pedri impresses with his remarkable dribbling skills, remarkable stamina, composed demeanour in high-pressure situations, and his versatility in utilizing both feet effectively.
5. Rodrygo (Real Madrid)
$197 million
Dubbed the “new Neymar” by the Brazilian media when he was just 12 years old, with the added accomplishment of becoming the youngest athlete ever to secure a sponsorship deal with Nike a year prior, one might have expected the pressure and hype to overshadow Rodrygo’s exceptional footballingabilities.
But the Real Madrid forward has not only lived up to the expectations, he has also earned the prestigious title of ‘Mr. Clutch’.
4. Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund)
$203 million
Currently one of the hottest prospects in the transfer market, Jude Bellingham is courting interest from a number of Europe’s heavyweights, with Real Madrid heavily linked to the Dortmund midfielder.
Despite missing out on winning the Bundesliga, the 19-year-old midfielder has still emerged as the best player in Germany’s top flight.
3. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal)
$209 million
Arsenal put up a strong fight against Manchester City in the Premier League, narrowly missing out but still achieving a commendable season overall.
Among their standout players, Bukayo Saka shone, notching double figures in both goals and assists, tallying 14 and 11 respectively. The talented English youngster secured the third position for the most successful dribbles (63), according to WhoScored.
2. Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)
$210 million
Undoubtedly Real Madrid’s best player this season, Vinicius churned out superlative performances week-in and week-out with little fuss, despite suffering persistent racial attacks.
Explaining Vinicius’ form to SiriusXM as quoted by All Football, Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti said: “I think Vinicius is a really talented player. He arrived here in Madrid when he was really, really young and of course, it took time for him to reach the top. Because now, in football, talent isn’t enough to reach the top.
“You have to improve your tactical knowledge, your physical condition. I think Vinicius has done really well this season because of this reason. He was able to show his talent because of a base of tactical knowledge and a better physical condition.”
1. Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
$262 million
Erling Haaland’s exceptional debut season with Manchester City has placed him at the pinnacle of the football world, boasting the highest estimated transfer value and securing the top spot on the podium. His outstanding performance aligns perfectly with his status as the ideal choice for leading the pack.
Throughout the season, opposing defences have been grappling with the challenge of halting Erling Haaland’s goal-scoring prowess for Manchester City. However, their efforts have ultimately amounted to mere fuss and commotion as Haaland continues to excel unabated, boasting a jaw-dropping stat of 52 goals from 52 matches, per Transfermarkt.
Alessandro Bastoni, the Inter Milan defender, has revealed that he has been analyzing video footage of Antonio Rudiger, the Real Madrid star, in his preparations to counter Erling Haaland in the upcoming Champions League Final.
The final, set to take place on Saturday at Istanbul’s Ataturk Olympic Stadium, sees Manchester City emerge as the clear favorites.
Led by manager Pep Guardiola, Manchester City has clinched both the Premier League and FA Cup titles this season.
They have already overcome formidable opponents such as Real Madrid and Bayern Munich on their path to the final, as they strive to achieve an unprecedented treble.
However, their Italian rivals will be looking to take advantage of their hectic schedule.
MILAN, ITALY – OCTOBER 29: Alessandro Bastoni of FC Internazionale in action during the Serie A match between FC Internazionale and UC Sampdoria at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on October 29, 2022 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Haaland, who has 52 goals in as many games this season, acknowledged in a recent interview that Manchester City had purchased him to win the biggest title in European club football.
City are one step away from doing so but Inter intend to follow the example of Rudiger, who kept Haaland quiet when Madrid drew 1-1 with City in the first leg of the semi-final.
Rudiger did not play in the return game, which City won 4-0.
And ahead of the gigantic clash, Bastoni has made some intriguing remarks regarding City in a press conference.
“Haaland says City bought him to win the Champions League and that says everything,” said Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni via Daily Mail. But it’s Manchester City v Inter, not Haaland v Inter.
‘I have seen a video of Rudiger in the semi-final. He managed tocontain Haaland very well so maybe that’s an example we can use. We will try to copy what he did.
Erling Haaland is thoroughly enjoying his inaugural season in English football with Manchester City and has made an intriguing revelation about his personal life away from the game.
Having joined City for a significant sum of £51m last summer, the Norwegian goal-scoring sensation wasted no time in adapting to his new surroundings, leaving an indelible mark on the Premier League in a manner rarely witnessed before.
Haaland shattered records by netting an astonishing 36 goals in the league, surpassing the achievements of all his counterparts in a single season. This extraordinary feat earned him the prestigious golden boot, as well as the titles of Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year.
Erling Haaland and manager Guardiola
He still has the opportunity of adding to the Premier League with the FA Cup final against Manchester United set to come later today and the UEFA Champions League final against Inter Milan next week.
Haaland: My life has changed
The 22-year-old is making things happen for Pep Guardiola’s team on the pitch, which has a resultant effect on his life off the pitch.
Speaking to Mirror UK ahead of the FA Cup final, he revealed what changes have occurred in his life and how he can no longer do this as before.
“My life has changed of course. I can’t live so normally any more. That’s how my life is, I can’t complain. I try to enjoy every single moment of it and that’s how it is,” he said.
“I’m 196cm tall and have got long blond hair so wherever I go people are going to see me. So that’s how my life is. There’s nothing I can do, that’s my life. I have to try to enjoy it as much as I can. Of course I wish I could walk into wherever I want without anyone filming me, but that’s not possible,”.
According to Sun Sport, he earns £375,000 per week and drives around the neighbourhood in a Rolls-Royce Cullinan worth £300,000.
Varane has plans for Haaland
Sports Brief reported that Manchester United defender Raphael Varane revealed his plans for Haaland ahead of the FA Cup final later today at Wembley.
The former France international is no stranger to facing the best strikers in the world but admitted United have to work as a team to stop City.
The La Liga giants are now eager to secure the acquisition of another marquee player without delay.
Having dedicated 14 seasons to Real Madrid, Benzema has established himself as the second-highest goal-scorer in the history of the club, trailing only behind Cristiano Ronaldo.
His illustrious tenure has included triumphs such as five Champions League titles and four La Liga crowns.
According to Madrid Universal, Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez is determined to replace Benzema with either Paris Saint-Germain forward, Kylian Mbappe or Manchester City’s Erling Haaland.
The move to sign either of the superstar strikers will be made in 2024 and not during the summer transfer window as has been widely speculated.
Perez is keen on still bringing in marquee names to the Santiago Bernabeu as he maintains the best players around the world should be playing for Real Madrid.
Mbappe to join Real Madrid?
Meanwhile, Atletico Madrid manager, Diego Simeone believes city rivals, Real Madrid thrive at signing the best players and has backed Mbappe to join Los Blancos, Goal reports.
The French star has been heavily linked with a move to the Spanish giants this summer despite still having two years left on his current deal with Paris Saint-Germain.
Mbappe snubbed a move to the Santiago Bernabeu in 2022, but reports suggest he is once again considering joining Real Madrid after PSG failed in Europe this term.
In his debut season in England, the Norwegian forward led Manchester City to their third consecutive Premier League triumph by scoring the most goals.
Erling Haaland was presented with the Premier League Golden Boot after finishing as top scorer in the league with 36 goals. Photo by Stephanie Meek
Robert Lewandowski, who switched from Bayern Munich to Barcelona, finished as La Liga’s top scorer in his first year in the Spanish top flight as he also propelled the Catalan giants to the league title.
Sports Brief, alongside Goal, has revealed the top ten goal-scorers in Europe’s top five leagues following the conclusion of the 2022/23 football season.
1. Erling Haaland, Manchester City
36 goals
Haaland reigned over England in his first season in the Premier League, netting 36 league goals for eventual champions, Manchester City.
The Norwegian forward looks certain to overthrow Lewandowski to become the 2023 Golden Shoe winner. No marksman in Europe’s top five leagues could get close to his goal tally.
Haaland boasts power and pace in abundance, and one of the most sought-after talents on the planet did not disappoint when bursting out of the blocks for the Premier League champions.
2. Harry Kane, Tottenham Hotspur
30 goals
Harry Kane scored a remarkable 30 goals this season for Tottenham, but that was not enough to earn the England forward the top scorer’s award in the English Premier League.
Harry Kane
Kane, who has over 180 Premier League goals to his name, was six goals shy of Haaland’s mark in the EPL, but second among the top scorers in Europe’s top five leagues.
3. Kylian Mbappe, Paris Saint-Germain
28 goals
Kylian Mbappe was voted as the best player in Ligue 1 for the 2022/23 season, beating the likes of Lionel Messi to the prestigious award in France.
Kylian Mbappe
After netting 28 goals for Paris Saint-Germain, Mbappe once again topped the scorer’s chart in France and also landed as the third most lethal forward across Europe.
4. Alexandre Lacazette, Lyon
27 goals
Former Arsenal talisman, Alexandre Lacazette is back to his best since transferring back to his boyhood club, Lyon last summer.
Troyes Lyon
The French forward scored a total of 27 goals in Ligue 1, although his effort was not good enough to help Lyon secure a European spot for next season.
5. Victor Osimhen, Napoli
25 goals
Napoli would be nowhere without Victor Osimhen’s goals this season.
The Nigerian forward powered the Naples club to their first Serie A title in 33 years, after he netted 25 goals to become the league’s top scorer this season.
Victor Osimhen gestures during Napoli’s 1-1 draw against Udinese.
Osimhen also broke numerous records on the way to becoming the goal king in Italy, after eclipsing George Weah’s all-time goal-scoring record in Serie A and surpassing Samuel Eto’o’s highest goal tally by an African in the Italian top flight.
6. Jonathan David, Lille
24 goals
Lille certainly know how to produce top goal-scorers in Europe. Jonathan David has become the hitman for the Ligue 1 side this campaign, with the Canadian forward netting an impressive 24 goals to see his stock rise.
Jonathan David, Lille
7. Robert Lewandowski, Barcelona
23 goals
Lewandowski is a bona fide goal-scoring machine. The Polish forward is unfazed by his competitors as he scores goals for fun.
Robert Lewandoski
Lewandowski again showed why he is one of the most-feared strikers in the world, after he netted an impressive 23 goals in his first season in Spain.
His goals propelled Barcelona to their first La Liga title in three seasons, while he also finished as the top scorer in the division ahead of Karim Benzema.
8. Lautaro Martinez, Inter Milan
21 goals
Lautaro Martinez is one of the biggest reasons why Inter Milan are Coppa Italia champions and also in the final of the UEFA Champions League this season.
Lautaro Martinez, Inter Milan
In Serie A, the Argentina forward was also lethal in front of goal for the Nerrazurri, netting 21 goals to finish second in the top scorers’ chart in Italy.
9. Habib Diallo, Strasbourg
20 goals
Habib Diallo had scored up to 12 goals in a season previously in Ligue 1.
Habib Diallo
10. Ivan Toney, Brentford
20 goals
Ivan Toney might be facing off-field issues, but the England forward has proved this season that he is one of the best strikers in Europe.
Ivan Toney, Brentford
The Brentford man scored 20 goals this season to finish third in the Premier League scorers’ chart ahead of Mohamed Salah and Marcus Rashford.
Players with most goals, assists
Earlier, Sports Brief reported that the most lethal players in Europe are superstars from PSG, Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Manchester City, both in scoring and setting up opportunities.
Some well-known names are among the footballers with the most goals and assists in European football this season, from the old guard to the upcoming stars of the next generation.
Lionel Messi, Vinicius Junior, Mohamed Salah, Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland all make up the top five players with the most goals and assists in Europen competition this season.
The Premier League crown was officially awarded to City after their match against Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium.
According to The Mirror, Pep Guardiola’s team sealed the championship with three games remaining as their title contenders, Arsenal, stumbled yet again in their game against Nottingham Forest.
The Gunners were stunned 1-0 by the lowly Forest, with the result all but ending their title dream after what seemed like a promising season.
Despite being declared champions on Saturday, City had to wait until Sunday before they could finally lay their hands on the English top flight trophy.
Haaland joins fans in dance
Haaland was once again the centre of attraction during Man City’s Premier League trophy presentation.
The Norwegian hotshot was involved in a heartwarming moment with fans as he was caught on camera leaving an on-pitch interview to join supporters in their dance.
Haaland dances with fans
Talksport reports that Sky Sports had managed to get hold of the striker for an interview before the incident happened.
Haaland has been a revelation at Man City since his arrival in the summer of 2022 from Borussia Dortmund.
The 22-year-old has played a vital role in helping the Citizens retain the crown, with the forward boasting an eyewatering 36 Premier League goals so far.
City stars herded off pitch
Earlier, Sports Brief reported Man City players had to be ushered off after jubilant fans invaded the pitch at the Etihad Stadium moments before the Premier League title presentation.
Overjoyed supporters of the Citizens ran onto the pitch in celebration shortly after the final whistle, sparking a briefly tense moment when officials and security had to get involved.
Man City’s triumphant stars, including Kevin De Bruyne and Norwegian star, Haaland, had to be guided to the tunnel as fans spilled over onto the turf to celebrate their club’s title victory.
Karim Benzema, a Real Madrid colleague of Courtois, received the individual award for helping Real Madrid to its 14th Champions League triumph and the La Liga victory.
Thibaut Courtois in action against Erling Haaland on May 17. Photo by Matt McNulty – Manchester City.
Source: Getty Images
Guardiola opined that although Benzema was also a deserved winner, Courtois deserved one as well.
“If they had given the Ballon d’Or to Courtois last year, it would also have been deserved,” as quoted by Sportskeeda.
Courtois 2022 achievements
The Belgian shot-stopper was Los Blancos best player after Benzema, as he conceded only 46 goals in 52 appearances, as captured by Transfermarkt. He put on major performances, especially in the Champions League final against Liverpool, where he bagged the man of the match.
He was gifted the Yashin trophy for being the best goalkeeper of the season but bizarrely finished in seventh place in the Ballon d’Or rankings.
Guardiola made these comments after watching his team dump Real Madrid out of this season’s Champions League.
Despite conceding four goals, Courtois was the best player in Carlo Ancelotti’s side as he pulled off a string of decent stops to maintain a respectable scoreline.
He particularly thwartedErling Haaland’s efforts, who had at least three decent chances to get on the scoresheet.
Messi vs Haaland Ballon d’Or rankings
This Ballon d’Or debate comes at a time when Haaland closed the gap on Lionel Messi by qualifying for the Champions League final.
Messi again? Or Haaland takes it this time
As Sports Brief reported, apart from Messi’s early elimination from the Champions League, the Argentine delivered for his country in Qatar.
He played a role in almost every game, bar their opening match against Saudi Arabia.
He may still be the front-runner, with the World Cup lending him significant weight, but his 2023 form, coupled with disciplinary issues, could stand between him and another title.
If Haaland completes a treble with Manchester City this season, it would be hard for him to be overlooked in this year’s award.
Frank Lampard has revealed he tried to sign Erling Haaland for Chelsea during his first spell as the manager at Stamford Bridge.
The Manchester City striker came up against Lampard’s team in a pre-season friendly in 2019 while he was playing for RB Salzburg in Austria.
He scored 28 goals in 22 matches that season before signing for Borussia Dortmund the following summer, but Lampard said he attempted to bring him.
Lampard nearly signed Haaland for Chelsea during his first stay at Chelsea
Ultimately competition for the Norway international’s signature, together with the fact not everybody at Chelsea was convinced that a bid for Haaland would have been the right move, meant that Lampard was left frustrated.
His 36 Premier League goals for title-chasing City this season mean he has scored as many times in the league as the entire Chelsea squad have, with the two teams meeting at the Etihad on Sunday as City look for the victory they need to seal the title.
Chelsea by contrast remain in the bottom half of the table, with their struggles in front of goal this season having shown no sign of easing in recent weeks.
“I’ve got huge respect for him as a player, he’s a player I tried to bring to Chelsea the first time I was here,” said Lampard. “I was really keen to get him here but obviously that couldn’t happen. His level at that point was very clear, we played against him in a pre-season game for Salzburg.
“Credit to him, I love seeing players of that level, I love seeing players of that personality and hunger to play and be the best which he’s proved himself to be. In terms of having to deal with him you have to have obviously a plan and an idea, but players of that level can make anything happen at any moment.
“I think he’s special, I thought he’d adapt straight away just (because of) his level. I think with the level of players and his record of scoring, firstly in Austria then for his country and in the Bundesliga – which is not an easy league – to come into a really good unit already.
“The rest is just credit to himself and the team around him. I did expect that, it’s not just an easy hindsight answer, I’ve got real respect for the player.
Lampard during a post match conference
“I don’t know whether he would have decided to come here anyway but I was a big fan. There are some of those that happen that people don’t know about that could have been this way, people talk a lot about mistakes and the things that could have been in football.
“Whether he would have come I don’t know, but I was pushing big, and for a couple of other players as well. But he was the outstanding one.
“From our point I was pushing it, I’m not sure what the appetite everywhere else in the club was to do it. The competition was big to take him because he was an outstanding player. I think there was a buyout clause at the time which I think was relatively reasonable given the player (he joined Dortmund for around £17million). I don’t have enough detail to say how close it was.”
Lampard has two matches left of his interim spell in charge, with Manchester United at Old Trafford and Newcastle at Stamford Bridge to come after City.
He has won only once during his eight games in the job, a 3-1 victory at Bournemouth earlier in May, with six defeats having come in that time including a Champions League exit to Real Madrid.
Mauricio Pochettino is expected to be confirmed as the permanent successor to Graham Potter, who was sacked on April 2, in the coming days, and he will have a huge rebuild on his hands after a disastrous season for the club.
Mauricio Pochettino
Despite the poor form, Lampard said he has no regrets about agreeing to take over in the short-term from Potter.
“I have enjoyed it, I get asked it a lot,” he said. “You want to always get results but you have to be realistic in football. When I came into this, the Champions League dream that everyone talked to me about, (saying) it’s been done before, can we do it again?
“The realistic answer was we were where we were in the league for a reason. Our view was to try and beat Real Madrid then possible City to get to a final. In terms of the rest of the job, it’s been how many small wins can I try and impact behind the scenes. You can’t always impact results.
“Generally there’s a lot of work to do here. I can have a certain impact with certain individuals within the group because I have a big feeling for the club.”
When questioned about the presence of a release clause inErling Haaland’s contract with Man City, his agent chose not to provide a clear answer.
The talented 22-year-old forward, who has already scored an impressive 52 goals this season, is aiming to contribute further in tonight’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Real Madrid.
Haaland, hailing from Norway, was acquired by City in a £51 million transfer from Borussia Dortmund last year.
Haaland at Dortmund
According to The Athletic, his City contract initially possessed a £150m release clause, which was due to kick in during the summer of 2024.
The clause was directly linked to Pep Guardiola’s future, and is claimed to have expired when the Spaniard signed his new contract last November.
And now Haaland’s agent, Rafaela Pimenta, has been asked whether Haaland still has the release clause following Guardiola’s new deal.
But Pimenta cryptically told Mundo Deportivo on the situation: “I have nothing to clarify.
“The mystery of this story is nice because nobody knows where it is, like a treasure chest.
“It’s more beautiful and, as a lawyer, I can’t reveal contracts.”
And Pimenta was also asked where can Haaland go for the next step in his career.
She replied: “Wherever he wants. He is a player that has never been seen. For me, his quality in everything and his ability to evolve are very impressive.
“He is capable of adapting quickly to a new club, to a society, to the coach… it is as if he had always been there. That gives you a lot of peace of mind and allows you to move forward.
“He is very calm in his professional and personal life, he has the quality, today he is in the right place, with the right team and the right coach.
“In Brazil we say that the sky is the limit. I think he is going to break all the records.”
Fascinating statistics have surfaced indicating that without Erling Haaland, Arsenal would have defeated Manchester City to win the Premier League.
After Arsenal stumbled in the title battle towards the end of the season, City are on track to win the domestic championship this year.
After a fantastic campaign led by Mikel Arteta, in which the team dominated the standings for the majority of the year, the Gunners were hailed as the clear favourite to win the championship.
Man City head coach, Pep Guardiola and ‘goal scoring machine Haaland
However, a string of poor performances in recent weeks have seen them lose the grip at the top, with their weekend defeat against Brighton all but handing Man City the title.
The Athletic reports Arteta’s men were demolished 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium over the weekend, with the result leaving them trailing City, who have a game in hand, by four points.
Haaland and City’s title bid
While Man City boast an incredible squad, it has now emerged they have Haaland to thank for putting them on course to retain the Premier League.
According to Sportbible, stats show that had it not been for the Norwegian’s goals this term, the Citizens would not have successfully challenged for the crown.
City and Arsenal
The publication, citing numbers crunched by NJ.bet, shows the champs would not have even been in the Premier League top four without Haaland.
The former Borussia Dortmund ace has scored an eyewatering 52 goals for City across competitions, with 36 of those coming in the Premier League.
Without his contributions, the Citizens would be sitting fifth with 61 points, a point behind Liverpool, who would be in fourth.
Arsenal would be leading the table with their current 81 points, a massive 13 points ahead of Newcastle, who would be second.
Meanwhile, Man United would be sitting third with 67 points, a point behind the Magpies.
Why Arsenal lost EPL title
Earlier, Sports Brief reported on Manchester United legend and now pundit, Gary Neville outlining seven reasons why Arsenal failed to win the EPL title this season.
With the Gunners having little to no hope of being crowned champions, the Red Devils legend believes he knows why the north Londoners tripped at the finish line.
The Norwegian striker, known for his exceptional goal-scoring prowess and clinical finishing, added a new dimension to City’s already formidable attacking lineup.
His arrival provided City with a lethal and consistent source of goals, giving them an edge over their competitors.
Despite Arsenal’s commendable efforts, they were unable to sustain their early-season form until the end.
While their campaign ultimately fell short, their performances should not be overshadowed.
Under Arteta’s guidance, Arsenal displayed an improved style of play, solid defensive organization, and promising attacking combinations that ignited hopes of a potential title triumph.
The emergence of young talents like Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe, coupled with the experienced presence of players such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, contributed to Arsenal’s success during the season.
Nonetheless, Arsenal’s progress under Arteta bodes well for the future, as they continue to build a competitive squad capable of challenging for major honors.
With the right reinforcements and continued development, the Gunners will be eager to mount a stronger title challenge in the seasons to come.
While the statistics indicate that Arsenal could have secured the Premier League title if not for Haaland’s influence, it is important to recognize the overall strength and depth of Manchester City’s squad, which extends beyond any single player.
The Manchester City striker, 22, is understood to “eat like a bear” by consuming six meals a day; and his bizzare meal preferences has left fans in awe.
Erling Haaland scored his 52nd goal of the season on SaturdayCredit:Getty
He has a particular love for Chinese food and kebab pizzas.
Swordfish, sea bass, sea bream and fresh vegetables are also said to be on Haaland’s regular menu.
But a more left-field option was posted on social media by the Norwegian on Sunday evening.
Haaland snapped a picture of his dinner for his 29.4 million Instagram followers – just hours afterArsenal’s defeat to Brighton left Man City on the brink of Premier League title glory.
Football fans were left horrified by Haaland’s home-cooked dinnerCredit Instagram
Another novelty has to do with the sporting directors who would be obliged to travel and get to know future signings in depth.
“You don’t buy a house without visiting it,” explained Henry and continued, “I’ve seen many players arrive at places without anyone knowing if they could adapt to the place.”
And the final change would be to introduce temporary injury substitutes to prevent teams from being down to ten players when someone needs medical attention from doctors.
And fans were quick to decipher that the scattered pieces of meat on the baking tray were beef liver.
In response, one person said: “I’m confused. This is like faeces 😕🙈.”
Another added: “Never let bro cook again 😭.”
A third replied: “Forgot to let his dog out before the game.”
And a fourth simply responded: “That looks disgusting.”
Haaland bagged his 52nd goal of the season in Man City’s 3-0 win over Everton.
Title rivals Arsenal then slipped up 3-0 at home to Brighton to hand Pep Guardiola’s men the chance to wrap up the league at home to Chelsea on Sunday.
But before then they host Real Madrid in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday.
The Premier League leaders head into the clash off the back of a 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu last week.
If victorious, they will move one step closer to the treble – which includes an FA Cup final against Manchester United and a potential Champions League final against either Inter Milan or AC Milan
Haaland recently uploaded images of himself sipping two enormous bottles of milk while posing in the sunshine on a seat.
He captioned the pictures, “Me and my magic potion.”
The Norwegian star is not only known for his exceptional football skills but also for his disciplined eating habits. Haaland is known to follow a strict and carefully planned diet to optimize his performance on the pitch.
As an athlete, Haaland understands the importance of fueling his body with the right nutrients. He emphasizes a balanced diet that includes a combination of proteins, carbohydrates, and healthy fats.
His meals typically consist of lean meats like chicken and fish, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and dairy products.
Protein intake is crucial for Haaland’s muscle growth and recovery, so he ensures he consumes an adequate amount.
This often includes sources like eggs, chicken breast, and fish, which are rich in protein. Carbohydrates provide the necessary energy for his demanding training sessions and matches, and he often incorporates complex carbohydrates such as whole grains and sweet potatoes into his meals.
While Haaland maintains a disciplined approach to his diet, he also allows himself occasional treats and indulgences. Moderation is key, and he understands the importance of finding a balance between enjoying food and adhering to his nutritional goals.
At only 22 years old, he has shattered numerous goalscoring records and established himself as one of the world’s best footballers.
As reported by ESPN, Haaland recently set a new Premier League single-season scoring record by scoring his 35th goal in a remarkable campaign during a 3-0 victory against West Ham.
But beyond Haaland’s stardom, the youngster has a supportive family behind him, which includes his sister, Gabrielle Braut Haaland.
Who is Gabrielle Braut Haaland?
The Sun describes Gabrielle Braut Haaland as a social media star who has equally built an impressive career of her own.
Gabrielle, who is said to be a healthcare assistant, has a strong social media presence and boasts more than 100,000 followers on Instagram.
Born in 1998, she is reportedly married to Norwegian football player Jan Gunnar Eide, who plays as a striker.
The couple got married in 2020 and welcomed their first baby together in 2021.
Apparently, Gabrielle is not Haaland’s only sibling.
The star forward has an older brother, finance student Astor Haaland.
The former Borussia Dortmund star also has two half-sisters.
ERLING HAALAND – FOOTBALLER : Sister of Haaland and her husband(L), Haaland in the middle with his mom and on the right is his brother
The Manchester City forward had an outstanding debut season, scoring 51 goals and playing a key role in City’s Premier League success and cup runs.
Sam Kerr of Chelsea received the women’s award. Haaland secured 82% of the FWA vote, surpassing Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard of Arsenal.
He said: “To win the FWA award in my first season in English football is an honour.
“I try every single day to be the best I can be and to be recognised like this means a lot to me.
“I have loved my time at City so far. My team-mates are incredible and provide me with the chances to score goals.
“I want to thank all of them because I could not have won this award without them. I also owe so much to Pep and the team behind the team here at City.
“I am now focused on ensuring I finish the season as strongly as possible and helping City win trophies.”
.@ErlingHaaland's record-breaking first season at City has seen him named as the 2023 Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year! 👇
Australia striker Kerr, 29, has won the women’s Footballer of the Year award for the second successive season, with Aston Villa’s Rachel Daly and Chelsea team-mate Lauren James completing the top three.
Kerr currently has 26 goals in 34 club appearances this season as Chelsea, currently second in the Women’s Super League table, reached the FA Cup final and also the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Haaland and Kerr are set to receive their awards at the FWA Footballer of the Year 75th anniversary dinner in London on May 25.
For the second year running, @SamKerr1 has been named the Football Writers' Association Women's Footballer of the Year! 😍
Fabio Capello, the former coach of Real Madrid,has praised Victor Osimhen and Erling Haaland, stating that their styles of play are similar.
Both strikers have been making headlines in Europe this season for their impressive goal-scoring abilities.
Haaland is currently leading the Premier League goal-scoring charts with 35 goals, while Osimhen is the top scorer in Italy with 23 goals.
Osimhen has already won the Serie A title with Napoli, with four games to end the season as Haaland and his teammates at Man City are targeting winning the Premier League title this term.
According to reports on Brila and Punch, Capello says Haaland and Osimhen have been wonderful this season for their clubs.
Capello hails Osimhen, Haaland
“I don’t think Haaland is under pressure, because he has anger inside.
“He lives for goals. Osimhen has the same thing, they live for this. They fight, they want to win, they help their teammates, and they transmit this determination that makes you win games.
Haaland’s father clashes with fans
Earlier, Sports Brief had reported how unpleasant scenes were witnessed at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on May 9 after Erling Haaland’s father, Alfie clashed with Real Madrid fans.
The senior Haaland was in the Spanish capital to watch his son and his Manchester City teammates play Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.
During a night when football fans around the world were eagerly anticipating Erling Haaland‘s performance, it was Vinicius Junior who exceeded expectations and stole the show.
The young Brazilian forward has been consistently demonstrating his potential to those who have been watching and listening, establishing himself as one of the sport’s rising stars.
Despite playing alongside established stars like Karim Benzema at his club and Neymar in the Selecao setup, Vinicius’ performances have often gone unnoticed or underrated.
Taking the ball from a powerful Eduardo Camavinga run on May 9, the Brazilian was widely expected to find one of his two striking partners, only for him to size up Ederson in the Manchester City goal and send a thunderbolt of a strike that wheezed past his international teammate.
Bar his constant injury concerns, Neymar was arguably the best player after the big two. From his skillset to vision to aura and flair, he was the complete package.
As stats show, to compare Vinicius to Neymar and even allude he is better than his senior compatriot will be a little bit of a stretch. But again, he is only 22 years.
And as Lewis Hamilton keeps reminding us, keep dreaming of the impossible.
Comparing Vinicius to Mbappe and Haaland
He might not be ready to lace Neymar’s boots yet, but it is time the 22-year-old was involved in this Kylian Mbappe vs Haaland debate that is shaping up nicely.
Well, for starters, he showed Haaland levels on his own home turf, forget the hearty smile and hug he shared with the Norwegian at the end of the game. The onus will be on Haaland to respond next week.
Vinicius Jr and Erling Haaland after the game. No controversy in Europe, only in Spain, but apparently it’s only Vinicius’ fault.
Mbappe might be a tad higher than both of them; given that he scores, he assists and dazzles neutrals with filthy skills.
For Haaland, we all know what he does. He has an affinity for hitting the back of the net the same way yours truly loves milk and toasted bread. 50 plus goals in your debut season in England is borderline nuts.
Vinicius’ stronghold, like Mbappe, is his pace and mazy feet. This is a player who has come of age after Benzema accused him of playing against them. He has since improved on his finishing and passing accuracy.
His only downside compared to the current top two is that he doesn’t score as often as them, but his current goal and assist ratio in the Champions League is insane. He has contributed to a goal in his last 11 starts.
We can sing Haaland and Mbappe’s praises all day long, but Vinicius is here and at only 22 years, he is nowhere near his prime. He can only get better. He is forcing us to take note.
Vinicius equals Ronaldo’s record
Sports Brief reported that Vinicius etched his name in the annals of the Champions League following his splendid goal againstManchester City at the Bernabeu.
The Brazilian, who recently won his third Player of the Month award for Madrid, unleashed a bullet of a goal to break the deadlock in the semi-final tie between two of Europe’s finest teams this season.
Vini’s goal against Man City in their first-leg semi-final clash means he levels Ronaldo’s record of either scoring or assisting in 11 consecutive games.
Haaland was forced to subsist on scraps of food during the first leg because the Real Madrid defender kept him at bay.
According to UEFA, Haaland, who now tops the Champions League goal scorers list with 12 goals, was unable to increase his total.
Rudiger ensured he had a very quiet evening at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium as Man City shared the spoils with the current UCL holders.
The German’s bizarre yet effective approach ensured the Citizens’ top marksman, who was averaging a Champions League goal every 58 minutes in his career, did not increase his tally, per ESPN.
@leafricangooner marvelled at Rudiger’s unconventional style of dealing with Haaland:
“This Rudiger guy is something else. Have to give it to him, though. He got the job done.”
Another user, @HalaHaneef, added:
@Tango4Bango applauded Rudiger for marshalling Haaland:
“Reason Haaland was the biggest player on that pitch yesterday. Gotta be double extra effort to make the “GOAL TERMINATOR” uncomfortable. Nice job, Rudiger.
@MadridClout simply said:
“Rüdiger totally pocketed Haaland last night.”
@favourea_ wrote:
“Man loves this types of game eh! It’s like he was born for these sorts of challenges.”
Rudiger warns Man City
Earlier, Sports Brief reported on Real Madrid defender, Rudiger being unfazed by the task of progressing to the final of the UEFA Champions League.
The German put in a masterclass performance to help his team play out to a 1-1 draw against Premier League giants,Man City on Tuesday night.
Rudiger rarely put a foot wrong throughout the first leg, including reducing Norwegian goal-scoring machine, Haaland to a much quieter game.
Antonio Rudiger, a defender for Real Madrid, is not intimidated by the challenge of reaching the final of the UEFA Champions League at the cost of Manchester City.
Rudiger displayed a masterful performance, helping Real Madrid secure a 1-1 draw against the Premier League giants on Tuesday evening at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
The hard-tackling centre-back had a flawless performance throughout the first leg, effectively neutralizing Norwegian goal-scoring sensation Erling Haaland, who had a surprisingly uneventful match.
Ahead of the reverse fixture in Manchester next Wednesday, Rudiger – who knows the Etihad Stadium very well after five successful seasons with Chelsea – is confident of helping Madrid oust the Citizens, Metro reports.
The German international was asked about the level of confidence his team had heading into the make-or-break second leg and in typical fashion, he offered a defiant response.
“We are Real Madrid, we are always confident,” Rudiger said, as quoted by Madrid Zone.
Rudiger is aiming for his first Champions League title with Los Blancos and his personal second UCL crown after helping Chelsea beat Man City in the 2021 final.
Grealish warns Rudiger and Madrid
Meanwhile, Jack Grealish said Man City are confident of finishing the job against Real Madrid at home to reach the Champions League final, after a 1-1 draw in their semi-final first leg on Tuesday.
The Citizens have won all 14 games at the Etihad Stadium this year by a score of 49 to seven, as Pep Guardiola’s men close in on a potential treble of the Premier League, UCL, and the FA Cup.
“At the Etihad [Stadium], at the moment, we feel unstoppable,” Grealish told BT Sport, as reported by Sports Brief.
The current holders of Europe’s premier club competition, Los Blancos are bidding to win a record-extending 15th UCL crown but will first have to overcome Man City.
Pep Guardiola’s charges are unbeaten since February in all competitions and for this reason, Man City are the favourites to claim the ultimate win against Real Madrid.
Alfie Haaland, the father of Erling Haaland, a striker for Manchester City, has dismissed the incident that resulted in his removal from his seat at the Bernabeu during Tuesday’s evening match as a harmless joke.
A video circulating on social media revealed Haaland, who is 50 years old, engaged in a verbal altercation with Real Madrid fans while celebrating Kevin De Bruyne’s equalizer goal for City in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final.
Ok. RM was not happy we were celebrating KDB goal. Other than than that we had to move because RM fans not happy with 1-1 https://t.co/PWpk6EAPUp
Former Leeds andManchester City midfielder Haaland cupped his ears in response to taunts from supporters near the executive box before he was guided away from the area by security staff.
Reports in Spain suggested Haaland had thrown food in the direction of home fans, which he denied, saying he had been asked to move to another location close by.
“RM was not happy we were celebrating KDB goal. Other than than that we had to move because RM fans not happy with 1-1,” the Norwegian wrote on Twitter.
Ok. I did not. Not true.We had some good banter with Madrid fans. They were not happy when City scored. Typical. Then we had to move 50 meters away. Nothing more. All happy. Well nearly…😉 https://t.co/tOQPToxEKN
In response to a report he had thrown peanuts at Real Madrid fans, Haaland said: “I did not. Not true.
“We had some good banter with Madrid fans. They were not happy when City scored. Typical. Then we had to move 50 meters away. Nothing more. All happy. Well nearly.”
Erling Haaland has enjoyed a standout first season with City, scoring 51 goals in all competitions.
Mr. Haaland was present in Madrid to support his son and his Manchester City team in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.
The incident was unpleasant and witnessed by many.
Erling Haaland speaks with Vinicius Junior at the end of their game on May 9. Photo by Burak Akbulut.
Source: Getty Images
Despite early pressure and dominance from Pep Guardiola’s team, it was the record European champions who struck first thanks to a fine belter from Vinicius Junior.
Haaland had a rare dull day, with the Norwegian being subdued by Madrid’s centre-back pairing of Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba. He had two flimsy shots on target on a night Guardiola elected not to use his substitutes bench.
Perhaps frustrated with the situation, Alfie Haaland was accused of insulting Real Madrid fans, with footage showing him cupping his ears towards them.
As Daily Mail reports, he was also accused of throwing food at the opposition supporters before security intervened and escorted him out of his private box.
With his son previously linked with a move to the Spanish giants, this altercation could severely dent those hopes when that time comes. This was Haaland’s first-ever game at the iconic stadium.
He will be hoping for a better outing as City hope to reach their second UCL final in history.
Aguero slams Guardiola’s UCL tactics
Sports Brief also reported on Sergio Aguero blasting Guardiola’s ‘baffling’ decisions during Man City’s Champions League clash against Real Madrid.
The Citizens took on the reigning UCL champions in a mouthwatering first-leg semi-final encounter on May 9 at the iconic Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
Aguero was less than impressed with a tactical move made by Guardiola during the match, with the Spaniard leaving all his subs on the bench.
The competition between the world’s most lethal forwards for supremacy is heating up as the Champions League enters its final stages, as well as the contest to be named top scorer.
We go over the favourites to see who is still in the running.
Erling Haaland (12 goals, one assist)
Erling Haaland scored two more goals against Southampton
Records continue to tumble for the Norwegian sensation — no player has ever scored more goals in a single Champions League season for an English club than Haaland’s 12 this term, level with Ruud van Nistelrooy’s efforts for Manchester United in 2002-03.
Mohamed Salah (eight goals, two assists)
Mohamed Salah has endured a difficult Premier League season
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah was on fire in Europe this season and scored his eighth goal in just seven matches to hand his side a 2-0 lead over Real Madrid in the first leg of their last-16 showdown.
Unfortunately for the Egyptian, the Reds went on to lose 5-2 at Anfield and were knocked out after a 1-0 defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Vinicius Junior (seven goals, six assists)
MADRID, SPAIN – FEBRUARY 2: (L-R) Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid, coach Carlo Ancelotti of Real Madrid during the La Liga Santander match between Real Madrid v Valencia at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on February 2, 2023 in Madrid Spain (Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Vinicius Junior broke the deadlock at the Bernabeu on Tuesday night and will hope to add to his tally in the return fixture in Manchester.
Vinicius relishes the European stage, having been involved in 22 goals in his last 22 Champions League appearances (11 goals, 11 assists).
Kylian Mbappe (seven goals, three assists)
Kylian Mbappe could not inspire a Paris Saint-Germain comeback in Munich
The Frenchman failed to inspire his side past Bayern Munich in the last 16 and finished on a respectable seven goals from eight outings.
Joao Mario (six goals, two assists)
Joao Mario
Joao Mario struck in both legs as Benfica breezed past Club Brugge in the last 16 — equalling the great Eusebio’s club record of scoring in five consecutive European games.
But he was an anonymous presence as the Eagles crashed out at the hands of Inter Milan in the last eight, 5-3 on aggregate.
Carlo Ancelotti, the manager of Real Madrid, has emphasized the importance of stopping Manchester City as a team and not just their star striker, Erling Haaland, in their upcoming Champions League semi-final match on Tuesday.
The 14-time champions will be hosting the hungry visitors led by the Norwegian hitman who has scored 51 goals in 45 games across all competitions, including 12 in eight Champions League matches.
However, Ancelotti believes that City is an unstoppable force as a team, and his strategy is to try and foil their entire squad.
“Obviously Haaland is a very dangerous player. He’s showing impressive qualities, above all in goalscoring. He’s a threat obviously,” Ancelotti told a news conference Monday.
“Just talking about Haaland means not talking about a complete team that plays good football, defends well, attacks, that has ideas.
“We’re not setting up for a game to stop Haaland, but to stop a team that seems unstoppable, but I think we can have chances to have an equal game, one that we can win.”
City have been foiled time and time again in their quest to win the Champions League, but Haaland’s lethal edge gives them a strong chance of beating Madrid and reaching the final.
Ancelotti said he thought Manchester City have more avenues to cause danger with Haaland in the side.
“It’s a more complete team than last year. They had a very good forward in Gabriel Jesus, but he has different characteristics to Haaland,” continued the Italian coach.
“Today, they can take advantage more of long balls, because they have a very tall striker, and behind him is (Kevin) De Bruyne, so they can win balls in the air.
“They have not changed their style, they are very well organised at the back and a team that handles the ball very well.”
Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney recently suggested City would “blow away” Madrid in the tie, a comment which Los Blancos midfielder Toni Kroos laughed off.
Madrid beat Manchester City in last season’s semi-finals despite losing in the first leg, and the German was quick to recall it.
“It was the same a year ago, no? That Madrid were out, and we did it,” Kroos told reporters.
“I remember words from last year, not Rooney’s — who is a guy I like a lot, apart from what he said — but it doesn’t affect us.
“It doesn’t motivate us more either, because it’s impossible to be more motivated than we are.”
Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney recently suggested City would “blow away” Madrid in the tie, a comment which Los Blancos midfielder Toni Kroos laughed off.
Madrid beat Manchester City in last season’s semi-finals despite losing in the first leg, and the German was quick to recall it.
“It was the same a year ago, no? That Madrid were out, and we did it,” Kroos told reporters.
“I remember words from last year, not Rooney’s — who is a guy I like a lot, apart from what he said — but it doesn’t affect us.
“It doesn’t motivate us more either, because it’s impossible to be more motivated than we are.”
The next eight days will see Manchester City play Real Madrid in a two-game semifinal of the Champions League, providing fans of football with a mouthwatering matchup.
Pep Guardiola will be attempting to reach just his second final as City’s manager, but in order to do so, he must defeat a team who eliminated him at the same point last year.
The Los Blancos late comeback won’t happen again this season, which is something the Premier League’s defending champions will be hoping for.
They enter the match having had a fantastic league run, but history has shown that Madrid always has a surprise in store for them when it comes to Europe’s top competition.
Stocked with Erling Haaland and a near impossible-to-beat formation of 3-2-4-1, Guardiola will fancy his chances in the Spanish capital and in Manchester.
As MEN reports, his latest game against Leeds United might have provided subtle indications of who will start on Tuesday night.
City survived a late scare from Sam Allardyce’s men to take another step to winning a fifth league title in six years.
Haaland surprisingly lasted the entire duration of the game alongside Julian Alvarez. Kevin De Bruyne was also given a full 90 minutes after missing the last two games through injury. Haaland and De Bruyne are sure starters on May 9.
City’s lineup vs Real Madrid
Jack Grealish, John Stones, Ruben Dias and Rodri were also given rest, but the Spanish holding midfielder came in the latter stages as Leeds threatened to cause an upset. The quartet is also in line to start from the word go against the record Champions League winners.
First-choice goalkeeper Ederson is among the starting eleven despite giving way in midweek.
Nathan Ake’s resurgence this season could have seen him become a sure starter, but the Dutch centre-half picked up an injury on Saturday. His involvement remains in doubt, paving way for Kyle Walker.
Vinicius Junior plan
Last season, Walker managed to keep Vinicius Junior silent, with the Brazilian only finding space after Walker went off injured. Manuel Akanji similarly did well against the pacy Leroy Sane and Serge Gnabry and could be called upon to deal with Vinicius.
Bernardo Silva was also rested, and he could play either in the right wing or alongside De Bruyne should Guardiola choose to drop Gundogan. The Spanish manager wasn’t too impressed that his captain missed a penalty against Leeds and clearly ignored him after he took him off, per Sky Sports.
Should Gundogan be dropped, that will open a chance for Riyad Mahrez to slot in.
According to BBC, Ilkay Gundogan revealed that Pep Guardiola became furious in the locker room after Gundogan missed a penalty in Manchester City’s Premier League game against Leeds United.
Despite the miss, Gundogan went on to score two impressive goals in the first half, leading City to a crucial victory and extending their lead at the top of the table by four points.
The midfielder scored the opener with a neat finish after Riyadh Mahrez found him in space on the edge of the area before he doubled the advantage in the 27th minute.
Gundgogan had a chance to bag a hat-trick with six minutes left, only for the ex-Dortmund star to fluff the chance from the penalty spot.
Erling Haaland looked destined to step up to take the penalty but opted to hand the ball to his captain – much to the disappointment of Pep Guardiola.
The Man City boss was seen fuming on the touchline as he shouted ‘You’ve got to take it.’
Guardiola fumes at Gundogan
Express UK reports that Guardiola extended his fury to Gundogan in the dressing room as he took issue with the midfielder’s decision to take the penalty.
“First he (Guardiola) showed to Erling that he was quite mad about that and then also he had a go at me,” Gundogan disclosed.
“It is what it is at the end. The moment Erling grabbed the ball, I was sure he was going to take it but he looked out for me. I checked with him a few times to make sure he was sure. He was certain to hand the ball to me and I was confident to score,” he added.
The Norwegian international is on the verge of breaking the Premier League’s single-season goal record, having scored his 34th goal of the campaign in City’s recent 2-1 victory over Fulham.
Haaland’s incredible form has seen him join Andy Cole and Alan Shearer as the joint record holders for the most goals scored in a single Premier League season.
The 22-year-old’s goal at Craven Cottage was also his 50th of the season in all competitions, a feat that no Premier League player has achieved since the league’s rebranding in 1992.
Guardiola has been amazed by Haaland’s goal-scoring exploits this season, with the manager praising the striker’s talent and work ethic.
Pep Guardiola and striker Haaland
The Spaniard believes that Haaland’s performances have been a significant factor in City’s success this season and has hailed his impact on the team.
“It is a surprise for all of us — maybe not for him — to do what he’s doing in this difficult league but the way he behaves and has done it is for the success of the team,” he said.
“Of course it’s good for him and the team if he breaks the records. It’s a good sign.
“The magnitude of a record is because for a long time it was not broken. All records will be broken one day.
“I’m pretty sure he is going to score more goals in the Premier League until the end of the season.”
In-form City put themselves firmly in control of the title race with their 4-1 rout of Arsenal last week.
But, after being pushed hard by Fulham, Guardiola is not taking anything for granted ahead of City’s home game against West Ham on Wednesday.
“West Ham maybe didn’t do the season they expected but that doesn’t mean the quality is not there,” he said.
“In the last two seasons with David Moyes they have been exceptional.
“The weapons are there, they are a good team. I don’t have doubts about them. In one game anything can happen. We have to be absolutely ready.”
Haaland’s rise to stardom has been remarkable, with the striker establishing himself as one of the most lethal forwards in world football.
The Norwegian’s impressive performances have also attracted interest from other top European clubs, with the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Paris Saint-Germain reportedly interested in signing him this summer.
However, City remain keen to keep hold of their prized asset and are expected to offer him a new contract in the coming months.
Despite his young age, Haaland has already established himself as one of the best strikers in the world, and his performances this season have put him in the conversation for the Ballon d’Or award.
The Norwegian’s incredible scoring feats have also led to speculation about his future, with a number of top European clubs reportedly interested in signing him.
Guardiola will be aware of the need to continue to develop Haaland’s game and help him reach his full potential, which could see him become one of the all-time greats of the game.
As City look to secure the Premier League title and progress in the Champions League, Guardiola will be hoping that Haaland can continue his remarkable scoring form and help lead the team to further success.
Haaland’s tremendous in-form has earned him comparisons with football’s GOAT (Greatest of All Time) like Messi and Ronaldo.
While Mbappe is having another outstanding season at Paris Saint-Germain and has already won the Golden Boot at the Qatar World Cup, Haaland scored his 49th goal of the season as Manchester City thrashed Arsenal 4-1 on Wednesday.
34 goals from Mbappe in all competitions When it comes to players from the top five leagues in Europe, only Haaland’s astounding total surpasses this term.
With Mbappe’s club-mate Lionel Messi reaching the twilight of his career and Cristiano Ronaldo having left Europe for Saudi Arabia, former City and Arsenal defender Toure has no doubt the France star, 24, and Haaland, 22, will be the players battling it out at the pinnacle of the game.
“Absolutely, absolutely. They are both incredibly great players,” Toure told Stats Perform.
“Young, hungry players with big qualities, playing for top clubs. You can see that the rivalry is coming, you can feel that, because they’re both goal scorers.
“They have different qualities obviously. There is one who really is a good scorer and there is one who – yeah he can score goals, but at the same time, he can provide, he can dribble.
“It’s going to be really interesting to see both of them fighting, because they are the next generation, definitely.”
Haaland, who supplied two assists for Kevin De Bruyne against Arsenal, lacked his usual clinical edge in the game, seeing several attempts saved by Aaron Ramsdale before he ultimately got his goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time.
Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland
That took Haaland onto 33 league goals for the season, a new record for a 38-game Premier League campaign and one away from the competition’s best-ever tally of 34 (held by Alan Shearer and Andy Cole).
“He is a very dominant striker,” Toure said of the Norway international.
“But, one thing I have to say is he chose the right thing for him, because he’s a goal scorer and he needs to play for a team that provides him the ball.
“When you have De Bruyne, you have [Bernardo] Silva, you have [Ilkay] Gundogan, you have Jack Grealish, unbelievable players around him providing the ball, the quality they’re showing to support him is incredibly great.
“That’s so clever from the boy, he made the right choice.
“He got to the right team. We’re going to do the work for him to just finish, because he’s a finisher.
“His control, the way he handled the ball to bring the team up when Arsenal were pressing them, it was unbelievable. I saw a player who can get the ball from the feet, take the ball, dribble past two, three, three players and have a shot.
“That shows the quality he has and there’s big room for him to just keep improving. He is in the right team, he has the right manager and he will keep improving definitely. But, what he has shown is unbelievable.”
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo faced off in an exhibition match earlier this year
Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland have been referred to as “beasts” by Bernardo Silva after the explosive pair caused havoc in Manchester City’s crucial victory over Arsenal.
In a 4-1 victory on Wednesday at the Etihad Stadium, De Bruyne notched two goals off of assists from Haaland and one more for John Stones before the Norwegian registered his own goal.
The win gave the treble-chasing champions a tight grip on the Premier League title battle as they closed the gap on the front-runners to two points with two games remaining.
Haaland has now scored a stunning 33 goals in the competition this season – one short of the record – and laid on seven assists while De Bruyne’s figures are seven and 16 respectively.
City midfielder Silva said: “We knew that they could come doing man-to-man and we tried to stretch them as much as possible because, if they do man-to-man against us, they have to deal with Kevin and Erling up front. It’s never going to be easy in that spot.
“It was perfect for Kevin. They gave space for Kevin and to Erling to run. When you give them this kind of space, they are so difficult to defend.
“Two beasts running, their movements – Kevin with the passes, Erling with the scoring – this was the opposite.
“They did it perfectly, they created lots of chances. We could have scored even more.”
City now have a superb chance to emulate Manchester United’s 1999 achievement of winning all three of the remaining trophies on offer.
As well as being in command of their title destiny they are through to the FA Cup final, where they will face United, and they take on Real Madrid in the last four of the Champions League next month.
Manager Pep Guardiola has been reluctant to publicly discuss the prospect of winning the treble.
Silva insists the subject is not off-limits but the focus is very much on taking one game at a time.
The Portuguese said: “No, he hasn’t banned anything! We’re big men and we talk about whatever we want.
“But these players know that the best way to achieve good things is to think just about the next one. If we don’t beat Fulham on Sunday we put ourselves in a difficult position to win the Premier League.
“If we don’t win the Premier League we arrive in the final of the FA Cup and in the semi-finals of the Champions League not in a good momentum.
“We want to try and stay in this good momentum to try and go as far as possible. The team is doing very well at the moment and we’re going to try and keep it that way.”
Since breaking into the spotlight with RB Salzburg and scoring a hat-trick on his UEFA Champions League debut,Erling Haaland has been the most sought-after striker.
He was expected to sign with a premier European team, but he chose Borussia Dortmund in Germany, where he made a proper introduction.
He replaced Sergio Aguero, who left a year earlier, and Gabriel Jesus, who had gone after a year and a half, in a £51 million move to Manchester City.
The Argentina striker played for City for 10 years and made himself a fan favourite with his prowess in front of goal, scoring 184 league goals, as recorded on Premier League’s official website.
Adebayor differentiates Aguero and Haaland
The Norwegian striker, in his first season, has scored 48 goals in all competitions so far, breaking many records with more still to come.
Former City striker Emmanuel Adebayor looked beyond the goals and pointed out what the 22-year- old offers more that differentiates him from the legendary Sergio Aguero.
”I see Haaland as more robust, tougher in tackles and more assertive, while Aguero was a bit colder in one-on-one situations with the opposing keeper,” the Togolese told Sportskeeda.
The formerBorussia Dortmund striker has already surpassed Aguero’s highest single-season tally and has six hat-tricks, including four in the league, also scoring three consecutive home hat-tricks against Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest and Manchester United.
Fans slam Guardiola for lying Pep Guardiola, during the final game of the 2020/21 season, which crowned City as champions and was Aguero’s last league game, claimed the club could not replace the departing striker.
As Sports Brief reported, fans hit back at Guardiola after the heroics of Erling Haaland this season, branding him a pathological liar for shedding tears while making the statement.
The Spanish manager failed in his pursuit of Harry Kane and opted for false 9s in place of Gabriel Jesus before landing Haaland.
Since switching from Borussia Dortmund to Manchester City, Haaland has been on fire, shattering nearly every goal-scoring record in England and, by extension, Europe.
According to Transfermarkt, the Norwegian goal scorer has amassed an incredible 48 goals in 42 appearances across all competitions while also dishing out six assists, underscoring his outstanding play this season.
It thus comes as no surprise that Rooney reckons that Haaland is by far the best footballer on the planet presently.
“Erling Haaland is the best footballer in the world right now. Lionel Messi is the greatest but, at this moment, nobody is playing better than a striker who — even though I broke records in that position myself — takes my breath away with the levels he’s reaching,” the legendary Manchester United forward wrote in his column for The Times via Sportskeeda.
Rooney stressed: “He’s the best in the world because of the numbers he’s posting, the performances he’s putting in and the mentality he shows.”
Ronaldo and Messi era
The pair have shot their way to the top of the ‘greatest of all time’ conversation; no matter who you are, everyone has a preference – winning a combined 12 Ballon d’Or awards.
The 22-year-old will hope to continue his breathtaking goalscoring form for Manchester City as Pep Guardiola’s charges chase the treble, with the club still in contention to win the English Premier League, the Emirates FA Cup and the elusive UEFA Champions League.
Cassano contradicts Rooney, blasts Haaland
While Rooney lauded Haaland, former Real Madrid striker Antonio Cassano has once again stirred up the hornet’s nest, this time training his guns on the Man City striker, Sports Brief reported.
The retired Italian international has claimed that the Manchester City striker does not know how to play football.
Going by Haaland’s numbers this season alone, it seems quite ironic for Cassano to level such a claim, but he insists he prefers strikers like Robert Lewandowski and Karim Benzema.
When Arsenal travels to the Etihad Stadium to take on Manchester City on April 26, Martin Odegaard will meet with fellow countryman Erling Haaland.
The outcome is expected to have significant effects on both teams’ chances of winning the championship, making it the season’s most important game.
Although their opponents have played two fewer games than Arsenal, the Gunners’ substantial lead at the top of the table has been reduced to only seven points, making a loss more detrimental overall.
The last time the Gunners won at the Etihad in the Premier League was in December 2015. Manchester City has already beaten them twice this season – once in the FA Cup and in the reverse fixture at the Emirates.
The two main protagonists for the Wednesday clash will be Odegaard and Haaland, who have been exemplary this season. The two are good friends but will have to put that aside for 90 minutes when they meet.
Odegaard’s first impression of Haaland
But before their friendship blossomed, Odegaard’s first impression of Haaland was a negative one. The two first met in 2018 when they were both called up to represent Norway in U-21 competitions.
“You were more like a little (expletive) in the beginning. You were so childish. You have grown up more in the last couple of years. But you saw it in the first (international) camp, in the videos when you dance and sing.
It looks like you are 12 years old and the biggest little (expletive). Honestly,” as quoted by the Mirror.
Odegaard was making these comments during Haaland’s documentary ‘The Big Decision’, where he talked about a couple of things, including his decision to join Manchester City.
The Arsenal skipper also explained how he grew to like Haaland by understanding what his antics meant.
“I don’t think he does thingsbecause he thinks they are really cool. But maybe he wants to get a reaction and maybe be a little funny. I just laugh at him. I do not take it seriously when he does crazy things.”
Haaland has 32 goals in the Premier League, he needs one more to break Mohamed Salah’s record of most goals in a single season. Odegaard, meanwhile, has chipped in with 12 goals and 7 assists.
Rooney tips Haaland to win Ballon d’Or
It was also reported that Wayne Rooney has thrown his weight behind Manchester City striker Erling Haaland to win the 2023 Ballon d’Or award ahead of Lionel Messi.
The Gunners and the Saints had an entertaining game at the Emirates Stadium on Friday, April 21.
Mikel Arteta’s team was eager to get back to winning ways during the game after dropping points in two of their previous matches.
However, The Telegraph reports the league leaders faltered yet again as they settled for a 3-3 damaging draw in what was a huge blow to their title bid.
The hosts had to rely on two late goals from Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard to salvage the point after Carlos Alcaraz and Theo Walcott had put Southampton ahead.
Haaland shares foretelling tweet
Haaland sparked reactions among fans with his foretelling tweet shortly after Arsenal’s epic draw against Southampton.
The Manchester City attacker posted a cheeky tweet with photos of him in training kits with the caption: “Mood Still.”
Haaland’s tweet sent fans into a meltdown, with many convinced the Norwegian hotshot had been watching theEmirates showdown.
One replied:
“What perfect tweet timing!”
A second noted:
“Posting it after Arsenal bottling another game.”
While another reckoned:
“You definitely watched the Arsenal game lol.”
Arsenal are scheduled to take on reigning champions Man City in their next Premier League outing.
Erling Haaland missed his first penalty in a Manchester City shirt during Bayern Munich’s clash.
Since moving from the Bundesliga to the Premier League, the Norwegian has been a threat for the Cityzens, scoring an incredible 48 goals in 41 appearances.
He reenacted Lionel Messi’s move against Jerome Boateng on Wednesday, seating Dayot Upamecano before scoring against Bayern Munich, according to Sportstar.
He then scored his 12th Champions League goal.
His goal will be neutralized by a spot kick from Joshua Kimmich, but it proved to be a case of much ado about nothing as City ran out 4-1 winners across two legs, advancing to the Champions League semifinal.
But before his sublime skill and then a goal in the 57th minute, Haaland failed to put away a penalty, Fan Nation reports.
The 22-year-old has been flawless from 12 yards for Man City but proved he is human after all, ballooning his effort – which was his first penalty miss in eight attempts.
Since moving to the Etihad, he has found the net seven times from the penalty spot.
Haaland sits Upamecano down
Erling Haaland picked Dayot Upamecano apart before notching his 12th Champions League goal as Manchester City advanced to the semifinal of the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday night, Sports Brief reported.
The Norwegian’s goal helped City reach the last four with an aggregate scoreline of 4-1, booking a tantalizing date with record holders Real Madrid, who bundled Chelsea out of the competition the previous day.
Pep Guardiola said he was “exhausted.”Manchester City demonstrated their street smarts in the Champions League by defeating Bayern Munich 4-1 on the road to the semifinals.
The Premier League champions drew 1-1 at Allianz Arena eight days after winning the first leg 3-0 at the Etihad Stadium to set up a matchup against Real Madrid, the current holders.
Erling Haaland missed a penalty in the first half, but after the interval, he gave City the lead with his 48th goal of the year.
Joshua Kimmich denied City an 11th successive victory late on after a second harsh penalty award of the game – Manuel Akanji punished for what was adjudged to be handball.
City are in the hunt for a Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup treble after advancing to a third successive European semi-final.
Guardiola, who took charge of the Premier League champions for a 400th time when he came up against his former club Bayern on Wednesday, feels their experience is standing them in good stead.
He told BT Sport: “We struggled in the first half. [Dayot] Upamecano broke all the lines down our left side and we struggled with [Kingsley] Coman.
“The finishing from Erling was really, really good. He is so young. The experience that we have in this competition, the players feel it a lot, they want to do it really well. The second half was much, much better since minute one.”
City face Championship side Sheffield United in an FA Cup semi-final on Saturday and Guardiola is concerned fatigue will be an issue.
He added: “We are exhausted. I don’t know how we recover to play against Sheffield United [in the FA Cup semi-final].
“Now is a tough moment for the game on Saturday, but we have to play then as [Manchester) United play in the Europa League [so play Brighton and Hove Albion in the FA Cup on Sunday].”
As the Champions League enters its latter stages, the race to be crowned top scorer is also hotting up with the world’s most lethal forwards competing for supremacy.
We run through the favourites to see who is in the mix.
Erling Haaland (11 goals, one assist)
Erling Haaland continued his miraculous scoring feats when netting five goals against RB Leipzig in Manchester City’s 7-0 last-16 second-leg victory.
Records continue to tumble for the Norwegian sensation who became the quickest and youngest player to notch 30 times in the competition, taking only 25 games at the age of 22 years and 236 days.
His effort against Bayern Munich in the last eight was his 11th goal in the Champions League this season, his best return in a single campaign and the outright second most for a player for a Premier League side after Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2002-03 (12).
Mohamed Salah (eight goals, two assists)
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah was on fire in Europe this season and scored his eighth goal in just seven matches to hand his side a 2-0 lead over Real Madrid in the first leg of their last-16 showdown.
Unfortunately for the Egyptian, the Reds went on to lose 5-2 at Anfield and were knocked out after a 1-0 defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Kylian Mbappe (seven goals, three assists)
Kylian Mbappe could not inspire a Paris Saint-Germain comeback in Munich
World Cup Golden Boot winner Kylian Mbappe has enjoyed a prolific campaign but will not land the coveted crown.
The Frenchman failed to inspire his side past Bayern in the last 16 and finishes on a respectable seven goals from eight outings.
Vinicius Junior (six goals, five assists)
Vinicius Junior played a pivotal role as Los Blancos knocked out Chelsea at the quarter-final stage.
With 10 goals and 11 assists, including setting up Rodrygo’s opener at Stamford Bridge, Vinicius has been involved in 21 goals in his last 21 Champions League appearances for Real.
Joao Mario (six goals, two assists)
Joao Mario scored in both legs as Benfica breezed past Club Brugge in the last 16 — equalling the great Eusebio’s club record of scoring in five consecutive European games.
But he was an anonymous presence in the 2-0 home defeat to Inter Milan in the Eagles’ quarter-final first leg, leaving a huge mountain to climb at the San Siro.
Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne scored the eighth Premier League goal of the year, and Pep Guardiola praised their “special connection” after the game.
The two played a crucial role in City’s 3-1 victory over mediocre Leicester City on Saturday.
Haaland equaled Mohamed Salah’s record for the most goals in a season (38 games) by scoring twice to bring his league total to 32.
His second goal came when he latched onto a precise De Bruyne throughball, marking the eighth time the Belgium international has teed up a Haaland strike in the top flight this term.
That is one off the joint record of nine, shared by Tottenham duo Harry Kane and Son Heung-min and ex-Liverpool forwards Stan Collymore and Robbie Fowler.
“I think the connection between Erling and Kevin is obvious,” Guardiola said. “I think Kevin needs the runners to do his biggest quality.
“Erling needs an assist player to make his positive runs. It’s a natural way. We talk a lot about ‘take a look at him when he runs and put the ball there’.
“But what I like about that second goal is Kevin won the duel. I love that. He won the duel and after that, the run and finish from Erling was fantastic.”
De Bruyne’s eight assists to Haaland is three more than any other Premier League player has managed to a team-mate this term, with Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes having set up Marcus Rashford on five occasions.
Victory over Leicester, combined with Arsenal’s 2-2 draw against West Ham, means City are just four points off the Gunners with a game in hand.
The title rivals will meet on April 26, in what looks set to be the decisive clash.
Kolo Toure, a former defender for Manchester City and Arsenal, has explained the distinction betweenErling Haaland, a hot-shot striker, and his former teammate Thierry Henry.
The Norwegian attacker tied Mohamed Salah’s record for most goals in a single season with his 32nd Premier League goal against Leicester City.
Haaland, who scored twice against the Foxes, needs two more goals to tie the 34 goals per season records held by Andy Cole and Alan Shearer.
The 22-year-old’s performances has seen him draw comparisons with some of the greats to ever play in the Premier League, including Thierry Henry.
While analyzing the qualities of the Man City forward, Toure revealed where Haaland lacked in comparison with Henry.
“For me when I look at him he is strong, powerful. Technically, he is not unbelievable. You can see his feet is not amazing but what he does is that when he is in the box, he always makes sure he is in the right position, very aggressive and makes double movement in his run.
He fakes you to go forward and stays back and sometimes fakes you to stay back and he moves upfront,” Toure told Sky Sports.
“For meThierry Henry had something, if you feed him great. If you don’t, he will come back take the ball, dribble one or two players and score. I don’t think Haaland has that. Very rarely, you see him take the ball and attack tow players and score.”
Toure and Henry were part of the Arsenal invincible team that won the league title in 2003/04 season.
Haaland equals Salah’s record
Earlier, Sports Brief reported that Erling Haaland continued with his fine goalscoring form after he bagged a first-half brace against Leicester City on April 15.
The Manchester City striker scored from the penalty spot before chipping the ball over Daniel Iversen to add to John Stones’ early opener.
Haaland’s goals took him to 32 goals for the campaign, equalling Mohamed Salah’s best season goal tally that he set in the 2017/2018 season.
The 22-year-old Norwegian dynamo is scoring goals for fun while wearing a Manchester City jersey this season, and it appears like he has already locked up the Golden Boot.
Continue reading as we examine the deadly finishes the former Borussia Dortmund player has surpassed.
Harry Kane — 41 goals (2017-18)
Harry Kane was at the peak of his powers in the 2017-18 season as Tottenham secured a third-placed finish.
Thirty of the No10’s 41 goals that term came in the Premier League and the expert finisher never went more than four games without netting.
The England skipper hit back-to-back hat-tricks in the league and scored seven times in the Champions League despite being eliminated at the last-16 stage.
Harry Kane scored 41 goals in all competitions for Tottenham in 2017-18
Andrew Cole — 41 goals (1993-94)
Andrew Cole’s form in the 1993-94 season was a spectacle and he walked away as the top goalscorer and assist king as Newcastle finished behind Blackburn and Manchester United in the standings.
His 34 league goals came at a time when clubs played 42 matches across a campaign but his consistency was unmatched in Toon’s first season in the rebranded top flight.
Strikes against United, Liverpool and Arsenal were essential in helping the Magpies qualify for the UEFA Cup for the first time since the 1970s.
Cristiano Ronaldo — 42 goals (2007-08)
Cristiano Ronaldo was at his glittering best for Manchester United in 2007-08
Before his famous move to Real Madrid in 2009, Cristiano Ronaldo had United fans on the edge of their seats every weekend as he emerged as one of football’s top talents.
The Portuguese icon scored 31 league goals in 34 appearances in the 2007-08 campaign, which saw the Red Devils claim the Premier League, Champions League and Community Shield.
His iconic free-kick against Portsmouth was the pick of the bunch in a season where Ronaldo also grabbed eight goals in Europe and three in the FA Cup.
Mohamed Salah — 44 goals (2017-18)
Mohamed Salah tallied a mindblowing 44 goals in the 2017-18 season and only scored three or more in a match once.
His season was marred by the shoulder injury he picked up in the Champions League final againstReal Madrid after scoring 10 times on the way to the showpiece.
And despite the Egyptian racking up 32 Premier League goals, the Reds could only finish fourth in the table.
Ruud van Nistelrooy — 44 goals (2002-03)
Ruud van Nistelrooy was the Premier League’s top scorer in 2002-03
Ruud van Nistelrooy is remembered as one of the Premier League’s most dangerous strikers and his 44-goal campaign in 2002-03 supports that claim.
The Dutch dynamo scored in all four competitions for United and netted 14 times in Europe as he helped guide his club from the qualifying round to the Champions League quarter-finals.
His run of scoring in eight consecutive league matches at the end of the season included a goal against rivals Arsenal and two hat-tricks as the No10 collected the Golden Boot alongside his league winner’s medal.
Erling Haaland — 45 goals (2022-23)
So far, the No9 has netted 30 goals in 27 league appearances and 11 times in just seven Champions League outings — with five of his European strikes coming on one night against RB Leipzig.
Haaland memorably grabbed back-to-back hat-tricks in the league against Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest as he put down a statement of intent.
His goal againstBayern Munich on Tuesday night saw him become the most prolific striker across a single campaign in the top flight.
After Dayot Upamecano’s awful performance in his team’s 3-0 hammering against Manchester City, football fans have rushed to social media to lambast the defender forBayern Munich.
Rodri, Bernardo Silva, and Erling Haaland scored on Tuesday night to give Pep Guardiola’s team a foot in the semifinal.
In significant part, Upamecano is also to blame for the English giants’ success since he was unable to restrain the City’s attackers’ fierce intensity.
According to the Daily Star, the Frenchman was rightfully held responsible for the English team’s second goal, which effectively ended the match midway through the second half because of his expensive mistake.
Jack Grealish dispossessed Upamecano as he attempted to dribble out from the back, before backheeling the ball into the path of a charging Haaland.
The Norwegian then raced into the huge space inside the penalty box before chipping the ball to Silva at the back post, who nodded it in.
̶K̶e̶v̶i̶n̶ ̶D̶e̶ ̶B̶r̶u̶y̶n̶e̶ Erling Haaland 👐
A superb cross from the big man and Bernardo Silva doubles City's lead over Bayern!
@gyaigyimii wrote: “Upamecano playing like Prime Maguire”
@linusMufc added: “Upamecano had a horrendous game against City. Completely destroyed his teams CL hopes single-handedly.”
@CFCMod_ tweeted: “Upamecano is such an unfortunate player cause my brother is actually a good defender but he’s one of those players when he has a bad game it’s plastered all over social media.”
@ConnCFCp posted: “I am happy Chelsea never got Upamecano when we was linked. He is terrible omd”
@LJGLA_ wrote: “Upamecano is soooo overrated” @Opresii tweeted: “Liverpool signed underrated Konate and left Upamecano for a reason”
Fans troll Tuchel after loss
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich manager,Thomas Tuchel has also been trolled heavily on social media after his side were humbled by Man City.
The Bavarians were put to the sword by a vicious Citizens side, who put three past them in the first leg of their Champions League last eight tie.
Sports Brief reported that it would take a mighty miracle for Tuchel’s charges to overturn the scoreline when both sides clash next Wednesday.
Takeaways from Bayern’s defeat
Sports Brief also reported on Man City versus Bayern Munich being the pick of the quarter-final ties and the game certainly living up to its billing. With a semi-final spot up for grabs, Pep Guardiola’s charges produced a masterclass performance to keep their search for the Champions League alive.
The Man City boss appeared to have mapped out a strategy which dealt with Tuchel, a man touted as the Spaniard’s kryptonite, in the first leg of the tie.
With a 3-0 victory over Pep Guardiola’s previous team Bayern Munich in the last-eight first leg on Tuesday, Manchester City made a significant step towards the Champions League semifinals.
In a tense match at the Etihad Stadium, Guardiola faced Bayern for the first time since leaving Germany, and he easily defeated Thomas Tuchel, whose Chelsea team defeated City in the 2021 final.
At the half, Rodri’s spectacular first Champions League goal gave City the advantage. Bernardo Silva then added the second as pressure mounted on the Bayern goal in the final 20 minutes, and Erling Haaland’s 45th goal of the season—a Premier League player record—soon after.
Guardiola and City have let slip all manner of leads in this competition against weaker opposition than Bayern, but they were rampant by full-time and head into the return match with full command of the tie.
The breakthrough goal came after 27 minutes as Rodri evaded pressure from Jamal Musiala by chopping onto his left foot 25 yards from goal before curling high past Yann Sommer, and City went in pursuit of a swift second.
Both Dayot Upamecano and Sommer failed to deal with a cross from the City right, with the goalkeeper merely helping it into the path of Ilkay Gundogan but responding with an instinctive save.
Although Leroy Sane led a response as his shot wide before half-time was followed by three on target following the restart – the best of them drawing a low stop from Ederson – the mix-ups in the Bayern back line only increased in number as the match wore on.
Sommer saved from Nathan Ake and Ruben Dias in quick succession but failed to get enough on Silva’s header after Upamecano had gifted the ball to Jack Grealish to set in motion the City attack.
Another stop from Julian Alvarez looked to have kept Bayern in the tie, yet Haaland got his goal from a John Stones knockdown to leave the Bundesliga giants an almighty task back in Germany.
What does it mean? City blow away brittle Bayern
Only City in Europe’s top five leagues enjoy more possession on average than Bayern, who looked to dominate the ball at the Etihad, too, and did so in a sense – finishing with a 55.9 per cent share of the play.
But this approach merely played into City’s hands, with Bayern’s determination to play out from the back creating issues under intense pressure from Grealish, Haaland and Co.
Upamecano’s mistake in the build-up to Silva’s goal was the first Bayern error leading to a goal in the Champions League this season, but it could have been repeated more than once and could yet be in the second leg.
Sommer sloppy and sublime
Evidence of Bayern’s woes at the back came in the form of Sommer’s five clearances, the most by a goalkeeper in a Champions League game this season. That was a competition high achieved more by mistake than design, repeatedly rushed by City attackers with one hack teeing up a Haaland shot inside the box.
Yet Sommer also did more than most in keeping the score down. He made six saves, with the last of them from a Rodri header – after Haaland’s goal – protecting the remnants of Bayern hope.
Silva reward for winger’s work
Haaland beat Bayern for the first time in his career and scored to make yet more history in doing so, but he operated largely outside of the limelight.
No scorer could have been more deserving than Silva, who netted with his only shot but played three key passes – including for Rodri’s blockbuster – and, most notably, led City with eight tackles. It was clear why he was chosen to play on the same wing as Alphonso Davies and Sane.
What’s next?
Ahead of next week’s return leg, City host Leicester City in the Premier League on Saturday, three hours after Bayern kick off against Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga.
While Erling Haaland , City’s goal-scoring machine may be stealing the show at the Etihad, the Norwegian’s backup has consistently demonstrated his ability this season.
A standout performance against Liverpool earlier this month after replacing Haaland was followed by a cameo appearance from the bench in Saturday’s 4-1 thrashing of Southampton.
An eye-catching display when he came in for Haaland against Liverpool earlier this month was followed by a cameo from the bench in Saturday’s 4-1 demolition of Southampton.
The striker, 23, netted in both of those games to take his Premier League tally to seven, while he has also bagged two in the Champions League and three in the FA Cup as City chase glory on three fronts.
Ahead of tonight’s showdown with Bayern Munich, we reflect on the increasing importance of the Argentine assassin to Pep Guardiola’s side.
The Cordoba native kick-started City’s comeback victory by tucking home a Jack Grealish cross before finding Riyad Mahrez in space with a stunning cross-field pass that led to a second.
There was more to come.
It was Alvarez’s goal-bound effort — stopped by Alisson — that fell to the feet of Ilkay Gundogan, who smashed in a third to all but kill the game.
City went on to win 4-1 and would repeat that scoreline against the hapless Saints, who had the returning Haaland to deal with before Alvarez replaced him after 69 minutes.
Pep talk
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is a big fan of Julian Alvarez
City boss Guardiola applauded Alvarez’s ability to fill in for Haaland after his side disposed of the Reds on April 1.
He said: “When we have Erling, we have something special. And Julian is something special, too.
“[He] scored a perfect goal, the action was brilliant, [then] the vision in the second one to play in Riyad. He was involved in the first three goals.
“He was so clever with the ball, he’s an exceptional player. The club made an exceptional signing with him — he’s a world champion alongside Lionel Messi because he has something.”
Alvarez joined City in January 2022 but finished last season with River Plate before packing his bags for Manchester.
And the Etihad faithful will happily tell you, his contributions off the ball make him a different proposition to Haaland.
The 20-cap international is an aggressive presser and he also enjoys getting involved in build-up play, creating pockets of space for team-mates to attack and pass into.
As someone who is no stranger to finding the net, former Liverpool and England striker Peter Crouch has been impressed by what he has seen from Alvarez.
He said: “I think he gets into every other Premier League team in the country.
“Because he’s behind Haaland, he’s not had the games he would have liked.
“But he’s a constant menace. He’s constantly on the move, he’s unselfish, he draws players towards him, he works hard.
“He’s got everything. He’s a team player and he chips in with goals.”
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