Martin Lange, with AFP 6:52 p.m., February 22, 2023

He is one of the most anticipated players on the European scene: Norwegian Erling Haaland, star of Manchester City, dreams of winning the prestigious Champions League with the Mancunian club, which he joined last summer.

A first test stands in the striker's way, with the round of 16 first leg against Leipzig this Wednesday evening.

Undoubtedly frustrated to have seen the World Cup from afar and waited as the missing link to carry Manchester City to the coronation in the Champions League, Erling Haaland tackles his Everest: in the round of 16 first leg, the ascent passes through Leipzig on Wednesday.

With 16 players selected for the World Cup, the reigning English champion was the second best represented club in Qatar after Barcelona and tied with Bayern Munich.

But his star striker was not invited to the party.

>> READ ALSO

- Football: Manchester City mercilessly for Chelsea in the 32nd finals of the FA Cup

Third in group G with Norway, behind the Netherlands and Turkey, he knows very well that the door will always be narrow for the 43rd nation in the world in the FIFA rankings, even if the competition increases to 48 teams for 2026, as desired by the FIFA.

Revelation in Salzburg then Dortmund

All his ambition therefore relates to the Champions League, a competition where he revealed himself with Salzburg, shone with Dortmund and which he now wants to win with City.

In his first match in the biggest European competition, in 2019, he had scored a hat-trick in 45 minutes during the correction inflicted by the Austrians on the Belgians of Genk (6-2).

Since then, he has scored 28 goals in 23 games, including five in four group matches with City.

If he has already pushed to the quarter-finals with Dortmund, in 2021, before falling against City (2-1, 2-1), Haaland knows that expectations are now much higher.

"I will do everything in my power to win trophies here with Manchester City and try to be the game changer," he promised recently in GQ

magazine

.

"My goal is to win the Champions League, I hope," he added.

A 'better and more versatile' player for Man City

Any other result than a final, or even the final victory, would indeed be a disappointment, as his transfer this summer had seemed to be the final touch to a workforce often passed so close.

Last year again, in the semi-final return against Real, a double from Rodrygo in added time in regulation time, then a penalty from Karim Benzema in extra time, came to punish an incredible Mancunian mess in front of goal, at the go and return (3-4, 3-1).

"He's an extraordinary goalscorer, he always tries to score and help the team. He's the striker we needed," goalkeeper Ederson told UEFA on Monday.

By his style and athletic characteristics, Haaland is above all a player like City have almost never had.

"He is stronger and more versatile. Haaland plays more axially, tries to get into the box to be the target player in this area. That's what makes the big difference," he continued.

Already maddening statistics in the Premier League

His already maddening Premier League stats of 26 in 23 outings raise expectations that may be unreasonable, at least for now.

Despite their brand new scoring machine, City have scored just three more times (60 to 57) than last year after 24 games and are eight points lower in the standings (52 to 60).

>> READ ALSO

- Champions League: Real humiliates Liverpool at Anfield (5-2) and takes an option for the quarters

Pep Guardiola's team often gave the impression of having less collective control over their matches and, when the Norwegian colossus was well marked by the opposing defense, having no plan B to score, apart from a few individual flashes sporadic from Kevin de Bruyne or Riyad Mahrez.

A risk identified from the start by Pep Guardiola: "Erling has special qualities. In important matches, he can solve the problems that we encounter. But if we put everything on Erling's shoulders, we will never win the Champions League", he warned before the last group match against Sevilla.

Despite the absence of Kevin de Bruyne and Aymeric Laporte, packages, and with an uncertain Christopher Nkunku on the German side, Leipzig seem an opponent well within reach of City.

But with the adversity intensifying in the following rounds, it wouldn't take Haaland to finally reveal himself as a colossus with feet of clay.