On-fire Erling Haaland will show Bayern Munich what they are missing
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Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano (left) vies with Manchester City striker Erling Haaland during the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tie.
PHOTO: AFP
BERLIN – When Erling Haaland takes the field for Manchester City in Munich on Wednesday, the Norwegian striker will face the club who tried to sell the farm to buy him but failed.
Bayern Munich’s late Champions League quarter-final, first-leg capitulation in Manchester last week
They will also be up against an impressive Haaland, who set up a goal and scored another to put City on course for the semi-finals.
While Haaland’s flurry likely sunk Bayern’s Champions League hopes then and there, the seeds for their struggles were planted late last season, when they tried and failed to sign the Norwegian.
Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic was not alone in his desire to sign Haaland, but his open courting of the player put noses out of joint, particularly that of star striker Robert Lewandowski.
In 2021, a clip emerged of Salihamidzic on the sidelines of a Bayern-Borussia Dortmund clash, speaking with an assistant coach after Haaland scored twice in seven minutes.
“How good is Haaland? He’s a machine. I’ll call his agent tomorrow.”
In that match, Haaland had given Dortmund a 2-0 lead, Bayern fought back to win 4-2 – thanks to a Lewandowski hat-trick.
Bayern’s pursuit of the 22-year-old affected Lewandowski, whose camp said he felt slighted by their failure to offer him a longer-term deal, seemingly distracted by chasing Haaland.
The Pole had scored more than 40 goals for Bayern in seven straight seasons, with a remarkable 344 goals in 375 appearances.
Ultimately, Bayern’s wandering eye cost them both Haaland and Lewandowski.
Haaland – who later said he “felt sorry” for Lewandowski, calling Bayern’s treatment “disrespectful” – left the Bundesliga altogether.
After Lewandowski signed with Barcelona,
While the approach had immediate effect – Bayern scored 26 times in their first six competitive matches in 2022-23 – the goals have dried up.
Nagelsmann reverted to back-up central striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, who again gave Bayern a focal point as he scored 17 in 28 matches.
The Cameroonian, however, looks set to miss Wednesday’s encounter with back problems.
Whatever it is, Bayern will hope that their new coach Thomas Tuchel
“We are not going to give up ahead of the second leg, we are much too excited,” the German said.
“Of course, the (first-leg) result is bitter for us. But I fell in love with my team a little, the way they performed. Even if sounds strange, it was a lot of fun.”
Big-name signing Sadio Mane has not scored since October and is returning from a one-match suspension for hitting Leroy Sane in the face
Instead, Serge Gnabry will likely lead the line, the same Gnabry who said in November he did not consider himself a striker “but it’s better than sitting on the bench”.
While Bayern are struggling up front, City will be led by one of the best strikers in the world.
Haaland has six goals and two assists in eight games against the Bavarians, but last week’s victory was his first against the German champions. He lost seven from seven with Dortmund.
Since moving to City, he has been spectacular, smashing records on the way
Coming into Wednesday’s clash, he has somehow managed to up his form, with a scarcely believable 14 goals in his past six games.
City manager Pep Guardiola, however, is taking nothing for granted.
“When you are there (in the game) you realise how good Bayern are as a team,” said the former Bayern boss.
“In a lot of moments (in the first leg) they were better than us.
“I lived in Munich for three years. I know the mentality and quality they have. We still have a strong game to play.” AFP
