Between Erling Haaland and Bayern Munich there is a story of sports love and hate that will star in the main course of the Champions League quarterfinals, the duel between the Germans and Manchester City. The Bavarian club tried to sign the player with the most goal on the ‘soccer planet’ until the end, but the Norwegian opted for the team led by Pep Guardiola. The Germans justified after the fact that no player has ever been above the interests of the club and distanced themselves from hiring an attacker who wants his rival after passing through Borussia Dortmund, archrival in the great German football classic. .
«Being able to focus, to always be prepared and mentally relaxed is one of the most important things for a footballer. I like to be under pressure and set challenges for myself,” sums up the “Nordic soccer god,” who is compared to a cyborg for his ability to remain infallible, in a recent interview with GQ.
The Norwegian who devours records at breakneck speed fell to his feet at the Etihad Stadium and is the youngest footballer to score 200 goals in his professional career at the age of 22. This season he has no rivals in the fight as top scorer: 44 goals in 38 games played in all official competitions with City.
The striker already knows what it is to score a goal against Bayern in an official match -he scored five with the Dortmund shirt-. However, in the two years that he had him as a rival in Germany, he was never able to beat the team currently led by Thomas Tuchel. He was denied victory over and over again, and so on up to seven consecutive times in official matches, including two German Super Cup finals. A dynamic that can change in a competition that will also have Guardiola’s first reunion with his former team, which he led between 2013 and 2016. The Catalan coach has taken setback after setback since he parted ways with Barcelona, despite his always They are favorites to get the ‘orejona’.
Bayern arrives at the Etihad meeting in a sea of doubts, despite being the leader of the Bundesliga. Less than a month ago, he dismissed coach Julian Nagelsmann -publicly supported by the ‘rebels’ Kimmich and Goretzka- and recently lost to Freiburg in the Cup, showing how vulnerable the team is at some moments in the matches. In fact, Tuchel has lately stressed on several occasions that his team lacks confidence and form. Just the opposite of the English, who appear in the first of the two titanic duels with high morale after stalking the Premier – they have cut Arsenal six points – and with the great state of form of their star, who has just scored in the previous European qualifying round, five goals against another German team, RB Leipzig, and whose presence could seem fundamental in the outcome of the confrontation. The winner will face Real Madrid or Chelsea in the semifinals.
There are more sticking points in the tie. Joao Cancelo will face what is still his team. He ended up in Munich on loan from City in the winter market, although to date the Portuguese has not found the role he was looking for in Germany either. And if the tie is about reunions, it is also worth noting an ex with the spirit of revenge. In the ranks of Bayern there is a Leroy Sané who ended up leaving City through the back door and who now has the opportunity to vindicate himself before his former boss.
-Probable alignments:
Manchester City: Ederson, Walker, Akanji, Dias, Aké, Rodri, Gündogan, Bernardo Silva, Mahrez, De Bruyne and Haaland.
Bayern Munich: Sommer, Pavard, De Ligt, Upamecano, Davies, Kimmich, Goretzka, Müller, Coman, Sané and Mané.
Time: 9:00 p.m.
Estadio: Etihad Stadium.
TV: Movistar Champions League.