Erling Haaland faced severe criticism from the Spanish media following his absence in the Champions League, leading to a compelling argument for his exclusion at the Etihad.
A significant cultural contrast between the Spanish and the English lies in the fact that the Spanish are known for their directness and lack of beating around the bush. In terms of criticism, they do not hesitate to express their opinions openly.
Following Manchester City’s thrilling 3-3 draw against Real Madrid, which was praised as “the best game in the world” and “a cannonball of a match” by the Spanish press, Erling Haaland found himself at the center of attention.
Marca newspaper rated the typically high-scoring Norwegian striker with just one star out of three, labeling him as “ineffective”, especially in his lopsided duel with the exceptional Antonio Rudiger. A headline read, “Rudiger dominates Haaland” following the forward’s inability to find the net against Madrid for the third match in a row.
The piece further stated, “Erling Haaland has participated in two matches at the Santiago Bernabeu and departed from both with a similar feeling, not even resembling the fearsome striker he is known to be.”
The publication displayed utmost harshness in evaluating the players. Haaland’s performance was so abysmal that he didn’t even receive a rating. While Manuel Akanji, Ruben Dias, and Mateo Kovacic were given one-star ratings, Haaland’s name was accompanied by a mere hyphen. It was deemed irrelevant.
Haaland was subjected to harsh criticism in the write-ups he received, and he couldn’t argue with that. Throughout the majority of the match, he appeared disoriented and only managed to make 20 touches, the lowest among all the players who started the game, including the two goalkeepers. His only opportunity was a weak shot that was easily saved by Andriy Lunin.
Rudiger consistently outmuscled him whenever they clashed, while Toni Kroos and Eduardo Camavinga made sure he couldn’t drop back and effectively support his teammates. The only positive contribution Haaland made during the entire 90 minutes was when he hurriedly rushed to the flank to tackle Vinicius Jr and prevent a Madrid breakaway.