Erling Haaland wants more. More goals, more presence, more minutes … The Norwegian has not played a full game since October 7 against Bayern Munich when they lost 2-3 at home. The forward had chances and demanded to score more, to be even more lethal. “I have to score more goals. At this level, if we don't score the chances that we generate we won't be able to win.” Since that day, when he pushed himself more to take the team higher, Favre rationed the minutes and Haaland did not quite understand it.
“It has normalized changing me. I don't know why,” he assured at the end of the last match of the Champions League against Bruges. The Norwegian started and, with the game decided after two of his goals, Favre decided to remove him from the pitch. Marco Reus replaced him with just nine minutes remaining but Erling, as he later expressed, wanted to continue on the green. “Maybe he wants me to score more. Get in more often, as soon as possible, before I take off,” he joked on CBS.
At just 20 years old, the Leeds player has momentum and looks strong to finish every game but Favre, aware of the injury problems after the lack of rest this season, wants to prevent his top star from falling due to the accumulation of minutes.
“He can't always play 90 minutes. We have to take care of him,” says the coach., who confirmed that he will be against Colonia this Saturday. Everything, of course, because there is rest. “We had two games and a four-day break,” he justifies.
Although he has played 78% of all possible minutes in the Bundesliga and up to 96% in the Champions League, the Nordic giant wants more and more. Favre only delays the moment of rest to get to convince him that it is necessary. With seventeen points in thirteen games, Haaland just wants more. The coach knows he can give it but wants to choose the right moment.
Long term plans
Michael Zorc, Borussia Dortmund sports director, told the media that the plans with Haaland are long-term. Although, as published by AS, Raiola, his representative, and the club have a verbal agreement to negotiate his departure in 2022, Zorc wanted to downplay the transfer rumors surrounding the UK-born forward almost before his arrival.
“I see him with us for a long time. We plan long term with Erling. (The rumors) They do not even have to be taken into account, “he said.. At the moment, the huge striker has a contract until 2024.