“He is the ultimate luxury footballer!” Jamie Carragher rips Erling Haaland apart after poor Champions League outing against Real Madrid

Jamie Carragher didn't go easy on Erling Haaland after his disappointing outing against Real Madrid.

“He is the ultimate luxury footballer!” Jamie Carragher rips Erling Haaland apart after poor Champions League outing against Real Madrid

Jamie Carragher did not mince his words for Erling Haaland (Via IMAGO & X/@SkySports)

Manchester City’s star striker Erling Haaland hasn’t had an easy week. The Premier League top scorer had a night to forget against 14-time champions Real Madrid. The Norwegian striker made just one shot on target in the full ninety minutes on the pitch and failed to make any significant contribution to the game. Criticism poured in from all directions, as the forward looked far from his best against the Los Blancos.

Following the game, one of his biggest critics came in the form of Liverpool legend and pundit Jamie Carragher. He outlined what Haaland needed to win the Ballon d’Or, and singled out his inability to contribute to his team’s play beyond scoring goals. His style of play is restricted to the penalty area and scoring goals and is in sharp contrast to that of players like Harry Kane and Thierry Henry.

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He's the ultimate luxury footballer! In general play, Haaland is not at the level of these strikers yet. In his three most recent games, Virgil van Dijk, William Saliba and Antonio Rudiger bullied Haaland. They were a mismatch rather than a match-up.
Jamie Carragher wrote in The Telegraph

He also added that Haaland is a work-in-progress rather than a finished product and that there is a long way to go before he can win the Ballon d’Or.

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Pep Guardiola hits back at Jamie Carragher following Haaland criticism

Erling Haaland‘s importance to Manchester City cannot be stressed enough. The Norwegian has been crucial to Guardiola’s game plan and has come to his side’s rescue on numerous occasions. That being said, the No.9 isn’t without his flaws.

Erling Haaland & Pep Guardiola
Pep Guardiola was quick to come to Erling Haaland’s defense (Via X/@Cityzens & ManCityHub)

Jamie Carragher’s criticism of the forward came as a reality check for the player and his supporters. While rival fans have made use of this to make fun of the player, Guardiola was quick to come to his defense. 

The target is not to win the Ballon d'Or. It is to win Premier Leagues, Champions Leagues, FA Cups and Carabao Cups. And he's done it. He will improve because of his desire and with age and experience.
Pep Guardiola’s response to Jamie Carragher in a press conference

Guardiola also defended Haaland, claiming that he was crucial for City’s treble win last season. A player of his calibre is destined for success and with a treble win already under his belt, it will only be a surprise if he fails to get better from this stage. As Man City enter the business end of the season, fans are hoping that the forward finds his shooting boots for the good!

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