Haaland, Haaland again

Erling Haaland has done it again. This time, in addition, he did not need a prodigious display as in the first leg. It was enough with his power, game reading and the classic to be in the right place at the right time. And that Julen Lopetegui had a plan for him, which went perfectly during almost the entire first half. But stopping a player of his caliber takes much more than individual marking and a siege on the rival goal during the bulk of the initial 45 minutes … Haaland pushed the net first, they annulled another, missed a penalty, scored it in the replayHe had scuffles with the Sevilla footballers, threatened the counterattack … It became absolutely momentous again, something that is no longer news. 20 goals in 14 Champions League games. Aim for history.

The Norwegian arrived somewhat touched, after retiring due to injury in the match against Bayern Munich. He soon showed that it would not affect his game. He came first on the counterattack in minute 3, showing that he was in full physical condition. Even so, he had to deal with another freight train like Diego Carlos. The Sevilla coach drew a kind of individual marking of the center-back on the Dortmund star. Koundé was also attentive to curb his danger on the run.

The result of Pizjuán showed a different game. Sevilla squeezed and squeezed in the attack field putting constant shipments to the area from the side. Haaland did not forget the importance of classification and worked like one of them. He took several balls with his head and not in strategy plays. In the first bars, a very hard-working striker was seen. Despite his efforts, he focused on being the first reference in transitions, in which he was too lonely. The injury to his marker in the 27th minute was a drastic change. Diego Carlos fell to the ground and was finally able to continue, but he no longer squeezed him as before.

An error by Koundé caused the first local goal. Reus drove, gave it back, Diego Carlos did not reach the mark and Haaland riveted at pleasure with the left. A whole jug of cold water for a more than worthy contender. The second half still left options for Nervión. They needed three goals, although they had generated enough to give a scare. Soon, Haaland would definitely break the national illusion.

Infographic via SofaScore.

Controversial and voracious

As soon as the second half started, Haaland received on the left wing, drove towards the center and yielded to Hazard. This, somewhat imprecise, did not return a good ball. Even so, the Norwegian took it to stumbling blocks and scored a great goal against Bono. On the way he illegally carried Fernando, something that the referee did not appreciate in the first instance, before the great noise of the VAR. The referee was called to the screen, who ruled that, indeed, there was a foul by the attacker on the middle of Sevilla.

However, there was a 2×1. On the screen a previous grab from Koundé to Haaland was seen inside the area and that was what the referee finally pointed out. The manager, of course, was '9'. He failed, due to a superb stop by Bono. He picked up the rebound and crossed again with the goalkeeper, who excessively celebrated his intervention against the rival. The goalkeeper had to repeat it by putting both feet forward. This time the one claimed by Real Madrid did transform it.

At that time, heThe fury could have been due to Bono's previous gesture and he celebrated the goal in the face of the sevillista goal. Those of Lopetegui, angered by the experience, went to Haaland to recriminate it. The referee ended it with yellow for the scorer and for Joan Jordán. It was time to lower the revolutions after minutes of high intensity.

Then the variables changed. Sevilla had no other choice: to turn around in search of the miracle. That opened up spaces for the attacking devourer. He received, ran and intimidated. A constant danger that did not facilitate the sevillista offensive for the comeback. He still had time to get a yellow from Diego Carlos and unhinge his opponents. Also to give the goal to Dahoud, if a superb Bono had not prevented it. And to defend, when Lopetegui's pupils tightened the most. A total performance, despite being less participatory than in the first leg.

Data to mark an era

Haaland he has already accumulated ten goals in the current edition of the Champions League and, of course, he is the top scorer in the competition. What's more, he has twenty goals in 14 games in continental competition, an average of more than one target per night. He is the youngest to reach such a figure in his 20s. His wild statistics do not remain only in Europe. Since arriving at Dortmund, he has scored 47 goals in 78 shots on goal. His effectiveness is total and when Bono stopped him, the foot and the VAR threw him a cable. A star is born and only time will limit it. Meanwhile, the greats closely watch their steps. A beast is on the loose …