Former Germany striker Jurgen Klinsmann has slammed Erling Haaland’s performance during Manchester City’s 3-0 Champions League defeat to Real Madrid.
The criticism followed a difficult night for City at the Santiago Bernabeu, where Pep Guardiola’s side struggled to impose themselves against the Spanish giants.
Haaland in particular endured a quiet evening, barely seeing the ball as Madrid dominated large parts of the contest.
Jurgen Klinsmann calls Erling Haaland’s performance ’embarrassing’ after UCL defeat
Jurgen Klinsmann criticised Erling Haaland’s display during Manchester City’s Champions League defeat to Real Madrid, with video of the analysis showing the former Germany striker reacting to a match where the City forward managed only 10 touches in roughly 80 minutes on the pitch.
That statistic highlighted just how little involvement Haaland had in the game as Real Madrid controlled the tempo and repeatedly won their individual duels across the pitch.
Klinsmann said: “Absolutely, it is embarrassing for him. It’s also embarrassing for the team because they didn’t deliver him anything to work with.
“You have to approach these kind of games with an old saying, ‘win your battles, win your game.’”
“Man City pretty much lost every one-on-one battle. In the first half-hour, Real Madrid was all over them,” he added.
Madrid’s aggressive start pinned City deep in their own half, limiting Haaland’s opportunities to get involved in attacking situations.
The Norwegian striker is known for thriving on service inside the penalty area, but City struggled to provide him with meaningful chances throughout the game.
Jurgen Klinsmann explains why Erling Haaland struggled against Real Madrid
Klinsmann also pointed to the lack of service Haaland received during the match, suggesting the striker’s confidence inevitably drops when he is repeatedly starved of the ball.
“When you are a forward that really lives from the deliveries from the side or through the middle and you’re not getting anything, every minute you lose confidence,” Klinsmann continued.
He concluded, stating: “You lose your desire to fight your way through and it was just a really bad day at the office for Haaland.”
Real Madrid’s defensive organization played a major role in that frustration, cutting off passing lanes and preventing City’s wide players from delivering dangerous crosses.
As a result, Haaland was left isolated for long periods and rarely found himself in the goal-scoring positions that usually make him one of Europe’s most dangerous forwards.
The performance added to a frustrating night for Manchester City as Madrid’s dominance secured a convincing victory in the Champions League tie.
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