Spanish newspaper Marca's brutal match rating

Norwegian sensation and Manchester City striker Erling Haaland faced harsh criticism from Spanish newspaper Marca, which gave him a scathing three out of 10 rating for his performance against Real Madrid on Tuesday night. Haaland was unable to net his season's 52nd club goal as Manchester City ended up in a 1-1 deadlock with Real Madrid in Madrid, Spain. Despite his impressive record of 35 Premier League goals and 12 Champions League goals this season, Haaland couldn't make an impact in the first leg of City's Champions League semi-final against the reigning champions.

Antonio Rudiger, the former Chelsea defender, managed to keep Haaland at bay, forcing Kevin De Bruyne to score a stunning equalizer at the Bernabeu. During the initial half, Real Madrid gained an advantage when Vinicius Junior's powerful strike penetrated Ederson's goal.

Haaland's Opportunity for Redemption

While Haaland's performance was not up to his usual standard, the striker will have an opportunity to silence his critics in seven days when Real Madrid travel to Manchester for the return leg. Former Champions League winner Rio Ferdinand urged Haaland to "stay away from desperation" at the Etihad. Speaking to BT Sport, Ferdinand shared his own experience of playing in a Champions League final, emphasizing the importance of staying composed and avoiding desperation.

Pundit Michael Owen also shared his thoughts on Haaland's ability to handle the pressure of leading City's European charge. Owen stated, "I believe he possesses a strong mindset, combined with a touch of self-assurance and swagger, yet I doubt it will unnerve him. He has the highest degree of faith in his own abilities. I don't think the discussions about 'it all being up to him to complete the puzzle' will have any impact on him."

As the return leg approaches, all eyes will be on Erling Haaland to see if he can redeem himself and lead Manchester City to victory in the Champions League semi-finals.

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