“This guy isn’t real” it is Erling Braut’s certificate of esteem Haaland addressed to his former teammate – at the time of Borussia Dortmund – and friend Jude Bellingham. The same one who spoke like this about Norwegian two years ago: “I’m very happy for him, I will miss him a lot. City are very lucky to have a player like him”. A relationship cultivated at the foot of the “yellow wall” of the Westfalenstadion. Today, they are the faces of the new generation: Real Madrid-Manchester City – match valid for the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals – will be their opportunity to see each other again and hug each other. Like old times.
Give Dortmund to the Bernabéu
Around the Ruhr, many fans are wondering how many more titles they could have won… if only Bellingham and Haaland had stayed in Germany. So, one of the biggest “what if” of recent history. One from Birmingham, the other from Salzburg; a few training sessions were enough for them to get to know each other perfectly both on and off the pitch. This is demonstrated by that brief performance against Besiktas in which they both scored. Interviewed after the match, Jude wanted to celebrate his Norwegian friend’s goal with a kiss on the cheek. In just two years they combined 80 gol e 41 assist and they won a German cup. For Bellingham it has always been simple: ball between his feet, gaze high and intuition in depth at Haaland’s feet. Result? Almost obvious; obviously goals.
Two top scorers worth 180 million euros
Today, what do Haaland and Bellingham have in common? They are the top scorers in the Premier League and La Liga, with 19 and 16 goals. Numbers that underline, if there were still any need, the importance and influence of the two phenomena. Decisive and fundamental: far from Dortmund, a new dimension for both. In just one season, the Norwegian striker won everything possible with the clubs; this year it could be “Hey Jude”’s turn. Meanwhile, the two enjoy the record of the most valuable players in the world. This evening, the opportunity to see each other again and forget, even if just for an instant, about the “rivalry” that will divide them for 180 minutes.
“Hey brother. There’s an endless road to rediscover” (“Hey brother. There is an endless road to rediscover”). In Avicii’s text a sense of truth: that endless road that brought them together in Dortmund today will see them against each other. And in the future, who knows.