Real Madrid: Erling Haaland is made for this club

Real Madrid fans will wait anxiously for their turn in the Champions League Round of 16 next week, holding a 1-0 lead over Serie A side Atalanta. Madridistas will be ready to keep a close eye on Kylian Mbappe’s encore performance after his hat trick at the Camp Nou, but I’m sure they were already impressed with another top transfer target’s display against a different La Liga side in Sevilla.

Having already scored twice in the first leg, Erling Haaland was just about unstoppable in the second leg, too. The Borussia Dortmund striker struck twice again, becoming the youngest player to score 20 goals in Champions League history. Haaland’s Black and Yellows drew 2-2 with Sevilla after Youssef En-Nesyri bagged his own brace, but with a 3-2 win in the first leg, Dortmund had done enough to advance.

And most of the thanks goes to Haaland. The super-clinical striker was at his finest again, as Madridistas juxtaposed his performance with Cristiano Ronaldo’s frustrating night at the Juventus Stadium against Porto, who knocked the legendary Champions League scorer out of the competition in the Round of 16 for the second time in two years.

Meanwhile, Haaland is only just starting to build his own legacy in the competition. Few have Dortmund, who may struggle to reach the competition again next year based on their placement in the Bundesliga right now, winning it all, but Haaland’s greatness is, of course, the real story. And especially so for Madridistas.

Erling Haaland has the mentality of a Real Madrid ‘Galactico’

Mbappe could still make his way to Real Madrid, and fans are watching closely for any movement on his situation. There’s an assumption he will test the waters and push PSG to make him available, but, even then, it won’t be easy to sign him, given his wages and the likely asking price from the Parisians.

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But Real Madrid don’t have to put all their eggs into the Mbappe basket, so to speak. Mino Raiola client Haaland is a Galactic striker in his own right and both younger and an even more prolific goal-scorer. He may not be as big of an upgrade as Mbappe positionally, but he is a similar upgrade in the goal-scoring department.

Most of all, Haaland showed in the tie with Sevilla that he has the mentality of a Galactico. He is ready to be a Real Madrid player, even at the age of 20.

Haaland was ruthless in his execution in front of goal and the way he toyed with Sevilla’s players. He made veterans of European football look like mere children, mocking them while backing it up with his play on the pitch.

Real Madrid need a larger-than-life personality in their attack. They are currently lacking someone with that kind of character, aside from the tried-and-true Karim Benzema.

Rodrygo Goes, Vinicius Junior, and Eden Hazard are all very talented, but they are not ruthless in the way Haaland is. (There is a certain word that contains “house” in it that I cannot use, but it came to mind for many during Haaland’s performance in the second leg against Sevilla.)

Madridistas have been in awe of Haaland this season. They have watched him in every big game, and he has delivered. Haaland scored braces in both Round of 16 games against Sevilla, whom Real struggled to score against earlier this season, and had an early brace on the road at Bayern. That’s no easy feat. And who can forget this wondergoal in the Revierderby? That’s the kind of player Real Madrid need on their side!

As the summer transfer market draws nearer, Erling Haaland is becoming an even more popular name to Real Madrid fans. His stock has risen faster than any other footballer over the past year. Haaland is a superstar who was built for a club like this royal one.