UCL: Merson Says Haaland Is Man City's Advantage Against Madrid

Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson believes that Manchester City's hopes of Champions League glory rest solely on Erling Haaland's shoulders.

City are yet to win the competition but came close to winning it in 2021 when they reached the final in Portugal and lost 1-nil to Chelsea.

The Premier League champions also had one foot in the final of the competition last season but were knocked out in a dramatic fashion by Real Madrid who later beat Liverpool in the final to win the trophy.

But this season, they have made it far to the semi-finals of the competition and have Madrid standing in their way to reach a second Champions League final.

Haaland, who has already netted 51 goals in all competitions, is considered City's game-changer as Guardiola's team travels to the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday night looking to avenge last season's agonising semi-final exit to Madrid and stay on course for a maiden European crown.

Haaland

Previewing the crunch clash on Sky Sports, Merson said: "Haaland was brought in at Manchester City for this very moment.

"Will he be feeling the pressure? I don't think he does feel pressure.

"He wasn't brought in to win the league five out of six seasons, he was brought in to do something that Manchester City have never done. 

"He was brought in to be the difference against Real Madrid.

"If you weighed both teams up when they met last season, Karim Benzema was probably the only player that would walk into the Manchester City team. 

"Now, with Haaland at City, that doesn't happen. That is the game changer."

He went on to add that Champions League glory will only elude City this time around if the Norwegian fails to find the back of the leg in the first-leg and reverse fixture.

"Haaland was brought in to win the Champions League and I think he will be the difference," Merson added. 

"I don't see how the Real Madrid defenders live with him. They are rash at times and like to dive in.

"I cannot see Haaland not scoring over two legs, I'd be amazed if he didn't. 

"If he doesn't score, I don't see how Manchester City progress.

"Haaland has scored 50 goals already this season, but the pressure is on this game, that is the way it works as a centre-forward. 

"The hardest job in the world is scoring goals, that's why they get the big bucks and there's not a lot of them around, certainly not putting up his figures."