On Wednesday evening, Haaland plays against old club Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League. Instead of sending Haaland to the press conference before the match, it was former Dortmund player Ilkay Gündogan who stood up together with City manager Pep Guardiola. It was a fascinating exercise to attend the press conference. 90 percent of the questions, including from the international press, were about the bull from Jæren. – Unbelievable Gündogan says that the world’s most famous Norwegian has made a solid impression off the pitch as well. – He has adapted very well, the numbers speak for themselves. He does well on the pitch, but his character, attitude and determination off the pitch is also incredible. For such a young boy he is very mature, he is heading towards a bright future. The club signed an incredible player and an incredible person, says Gündogan at the press conference. Haaland has hit hard after his move to Manchester City. Here in cheerful moments with Rodri on the big club’s training ground. Photo: LINDSEY PARNABY / AFP The Manchester club got off to a dream start to the tournament with a 4-0 win away to Sevilla in the first group stage match. The Norwegian then scored two of the goals for the club which has never before won the tournament, and which is missing from Pep Guardiola’s already impressive City CV. Guardiola was asked at Tuesday’s press conference if Haaland could be the difference maker for them in the Champions League this season. – I am not capable of knowing this, he answered shortly. – Will get better news asked Guardiola questions about what he thinks Dortmund can benefit from knowing Haaland and Manuel Akanji as well as they do. – They know these players better than I know the Dortmund players, that’s for sure. They were there for several years. Whether they can profit from this, we’ll see tomorrow, Guardiola replies. – Everyone can see that Haaland is an excellent goalscorer, but what can he improve? – He is young and hungry to get better. He will be. Individually, you can always get better, everyone knows that, and he will get even better when he gets better relationships with the players around him, says the City manager to news. İlkay Gündoğan and Pep Guardiola have been impressed by Erling Braut Haaland so far this season. Photo: Jose Breton / AP – He deserves the attention Borussia Dortmund’s sporting director Sebastian Kehl caused a stir last week when he stated that all the Haaland commotion ended up being a burden on the club. “Ultimately, we have to admit, no matter how much we appreciated Erling, all the talk and speculation became a strain on both the dressing room and the club,” Kehl told Bild. Speaking to news, Gündogan states that he has no problem with the Norway striker stealing most of the attention in a previously star-studded dressing room. – It’s perfectly fine for me, I’m not a player who needs so much attention. But I don’t think there is a problem so far. If you score as many goals as he does, in modern football you will get this kind of attention, and he deserves it. But I haven’t thought for a second that there will be a problem in the team, he says to news. Erling Braut Haaland was in place on the training field before the Champions League match against Dortmund. Photo: Mathias Oppedal / news Ber Haaland to continue with the runs City’s new captain was asked about Guardiola’s statements after the 4-0 victory against Sevilla last time. Then Guardiola said that the team is sometimes a little too quick to try to find Haaland with passes, and that more patience is required from the players around the Norwegian. – Teams are going to play deeper and deeper against us, not just in the Premier League, and then it might be more difficult for us. It’s about being patient and waiting for the right moment to punish teams, he says. The midfielder was asked by TV 2 whether it can be demanding to have precisely that patience when Haaland constantly sets off on his famous backroom runs. – Maybe a little, but it’s also important that he doesn’t stop making these runs either, even if he might only get the ball ten percent of the time. He forces defenses to react, and that frees up space for others. It is incredibly important to us that he continues with these races, it will both create chances for him and others, says Gündogan. Will City win the Champions League this season? Guardiola was asked the same question a little later. Then he replied that managers are actually praised, because it is largely about how the players solve tasks on the pitch. – But if a striker goes on 50 runs and gets the ball 0 times, then he doesn’t run the 51st time, illustrated the City manager, and said clearly in that way that he wants the players to continue looking for Haaland with passes. – He was happy after the draw Gündogan says he has not noticed that Haaland is nervous before the meeting with old club Dortmund on Wednesday. – No, I saw that he was actually quite happy after the draw when he saw that we were going against Dortmund. He was sitting next to me during the draw, and he was actually the one who asked me what I thought about the draw. I think we are both looking forward to meeting our old club, says the City captain. Gündogan hopes Haaland can be a heavy weight for City in the Champions League this season. – The fact that we have a physically strong number nine will help us a lot. But we’ll see, the Champions League is a very tough tournament, small details can make a difference. We will try to get as far as possible, says the midfielder. Haaland has had a dream start since his transfer to Manchester City. He has ten goals in his first six Premier League games and has become a big supporter favourite. – Incredible nose for goal Nine of the goals came in August in the matches against West Ham (2), Newcastle, Crystal Palace (3) and Nottingham Forest (3), and Jærbuen is, together with Martin Ødegaard and several other players, nominated to be the player of the month plays in the Premier League. This week, the Norwegian super striker was named in the squad to face Slovenia and Serbia in the Nations League. Table leader Norway plays Slovenia away on 24 September before the group ends against Serbia at home on 27 September. After these two games, Norway can secure the group win and promotion to level A in the national league. But first, Haaland will play against Dortmund in the Champions League for City on Wednesday evening. Then the league game away to Wolves awaits on 17 September, unless there are further postponements as a result of the Queen’s death. Set this? Do you know someone who knows someone who is somewhat famous? Then you’re probably best friends. At least according to Haaland’s comrades!
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