Spanish newspaper Marca gave Manchester City striker Erling Haaland a savage THREE out of 10 rating for his display against Real Madrid on Tuesday night.
Haaland has scored a record 35 Premier League goals this season but failed to make an impact in the first leg of City's Champions League semi-final against the holders. The Norwegian managed just 21 touches of the ball during the 1-1 draw.
Haaland was kept quiet by former Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger, forcing Kevin De Bruyne to step up and score a stunning equaliser at the Bernabeu. Real took the lead during the first half when Vinicius Junior's rocket found the back of Ederson's net.
Haaland, who has also bagged 12 goals in the Champions League this season, was tipped to lead City to victory at the Bernabeu but struggled to get the better of Rudiger. Marca were particularly unimpressed by the superstar and gave him a brutal grade.
Rudiger also failed to see what all the fuss is about. He told beIN Sport at full-time: "We got the goal a bit late so we feel a bit like we could have got out with more. But it's no problem, the tie is definitely on and we can go with confidence to Manchester.
"At the end of the day they were not dangerous. They had possession, we knew that this would happen... but most importantly they were not dangerous. Obviously their goal was quality from De Bruyne."
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The good news for Haaland is he will have an opportunity to silence his critics in seven days' time when Real travel to Manchester for the return leg. Champions League winner Rio Ferdinand has urged Haaland to "stay away from desperation" at the Etihad.
Ferdinand told BT Sport: "In a situation like this, you’ve just got to stay away from desperation. I’ve played in the Champions League Final and we hadn’t won it in my time there, and I felt desperate at times. But, I was playing against a team that were probably in the same position - or I know they were - in Chelsea, who hadn’t won it.
"There is a level of desperation on both sides. I wondered whether if we’d played against a team like Real Madrid in that final, if we'd have been calm and cool, know the role in terms of how to win a competition, how that might have impacted me as well.
"I think they’ve just got to stay away from that desperation if they get to that point, and just be composed. He hasn’t shown desperation at any stage so far, which is great, but I think that is one area that the Real Madrid players may be looking at when they’re looking at this City team."
Michael Owen believes Haaland can handle the pressure of leading City's European charge. He added: "Everybody says, 'He’s been brought in to win the Champions League'. It’s almost on his shoulders in many ways, if he believes what he hears and reads.
"I think he’s got a solid mentality, he’s got that little bit of confidence and arrogance, but I don’t think it will faze him. He’s got utmost belief in himself. I don’t think all this talk of ‘it’s all down to him to be that missing piece of the jigsaw,’ will affect him."
