Haaland inspired by Mbappe antics
PSG SUPERSTAR GIVES HIM ‘FREE MOTIVATION’
Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland said his brace against Sevilla in the Champions League on Wednesday was inspired by watching Paris St Germain’s Kylian Mbappe score a hat-trick against Barcelona.
French forward Mbappe had set Europe’s elite competition alight on Tuesday with a stunning treble in the 4-1 drubbing of Barca, but Haaland was also out to make his mark, netting two superbly-taken goals in his side’s 3-2 win in Seville.
“It was good to score the goals, I love the Champions League and when I saw Mbappe scored the hat-trick, I got free motivation, so thanks to him,” Haaland, 20, said.
“He scored some nice goals and I got a free boost from him.”
Haaland’s goals moved him on to a remarkable 18 in 13 Champions League matches and he is on course to overtake Mbappe as the player to score the most goals in Europe’s top competition before his 21st birthday.
Mbappe, now 23, struck 19 Champions League goals before turning 21 and Haaland does not celebrate his birthday until July.
The Norwegian showed his potential by scoring eight times in the group stage with RB Salzburg, earning him a €20-million move to Dortmund in January, 2019.
He has now scored 10 times for the Germans in seven games in the Champions League, unseating Roy Makaay as the player to score 10 goals in the competition for one team in the fewest amount of games.
Makaay scored 10 goals in 10 Champions League games for Bayern Munich between 2003 and 2004.
Haaland’s insatiable scoring appetite has made him one of the most coveted players in Europe and his two goals are likely to further increase his eventual transfer fee.
A man of few words, the youngster was asked how it felt to be coveted by Real Madrid.
His reply was predictably short:
“It’s always nice when someone wants you,” he said. –