BREAKING NEWS: coming from Fabrizio Romano, Jamie Carragher criticised manchester city’s star player, who was from Etihad, for his lacklustre performance in the team’s heartbreaking draw to Real Madrid. Carragher described the player’s muted performance as dismal and uninspired. The player’s performance was deemed unsatisfactory by the ex-defender for Liverpool. He said ” I could see he’s just overhyped he can’t do nothing Don’t ever compare him CR7 he was very bad. If he doesn’t score, he’s quite useless. Hes team performance is very bad. I find him a very average player on the ball.”

Former Real Madrid forward Rafael van der Vaart has launched a scathing criticism against Manchester City sensation Erling Haaland. The Norwegian striker had a relatively subdued performance by his standards in the enthralling 3-3 draw between the Cityzens and Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on April 9. In a clash where two European powerhouses couldn’t be separated in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarterfinal tie, Haaland’s impact was notably minimal.

Recording just one shot throughout the game, along with one key pass and winning four out of eight ground duels, Haaland’s lack of involvement beyond scoring goals for Pep Guardiola’s side has drawn criticism recently. Van der Vaart expressed his disappointment with the 23-year-old’s display at the Bernabeu, labeling him as “very bad” and suggesting that without scoring, he appears “quite useless,” further describing him as “a very average player on the ball.”

While Haaland has been a formidable force in front of goal since his arrival at Manchester City in July 2022, clinching the Premier League Golden Boot and emerging as the top scorer in the Champions League during the club’s treble-winning 2022-23 campaign, questions have arisen regarding his overall contribution this season. Despite tallying an impressive 30 goals and six assists in 37 appearances across competitions, concerns have been raised about his all-round game, particularly his performances in high-profile matches such as the 0-0 draw against Arsenal on March 31 and the 1-1 draw against Liverpool on March 10.

Manchester United legend Roy Keane recently ignited controversy by suggesting that Haaland displayed traits akin to a “league two player.” While Guardiola vehemently defended Haaland against such assertions, doubts persist regarding the prolific striker’s overall impact on the pitch.

Haaland’s frustrating night at the Bernabeu took a bizarre turn when he was inadvertently struck in the face by French referee Francois Letexier, who extended his arm while signaling for half-time. This incident left the Manchester City star visibly agitated, prompting him to express his frustration before Letexier swiftly apologized, emphasizing that it was an accident.

With Haaland failing to make a significant impact against Real Madrid, he will be eager to bounce back and assert his influence when Carlo Ancelotti’s men visit the Etihad for the second leg next week.