The defending Champions League champion started the old tactic when borrowing the media to hit the psychology of Man City and Erling Haaland.

Haaland is Man City’s most anticipated star in the Champions League semi-finals. Photo: Reuters.

The first battle between Real Madrid and Man City in this season’s Champions League semi-finals has begun in the press. “The goblin is coming,” the front page of AS , the Madrid-based sports newspaper, reported after Man City officially knocked Bayern Munich out of the quarter-finals. “Goblin” is a nickname that the Spanish press often used to refer to Haaland during the period when Real Madrid wanted to recruit players in the past.

Old tactic

Man City, please prepare mentally because Real Madrid certainly does not use tricks to weaken the opponent before an important match. The fact that the Spanish media deliberately linked Haaland with Real Madrid before the Champions League semi-finals is not a new tactic.

Last season, Mohamed Salah became the focus of Madrid media before the Champions League final. The Egyptian spearhead is rumored to be associated with “Los Blancos”. Even, many Spanish newspapers also tried to hit the mentality of the Liverpool star about the “revenge” statements of Real Madrid in the past.

Immediately after Haaland scored against Bayern in the second leg of the quarter-finals, AS revealed that the Real Madrid board knew exactly what they needed to recruit Haaland. The period set by “Los Blancos” for the possession of the Norwegian striker’s signature falls in the summer of 2024, when Karim Benzema leaves the team and Haaland’s contract release clause with Man City is activated.

If asked about the AS article , Pep Guardiola may think that the media and Real Madrid leadership are overly optimistic. There is no way Man City will let a striker who has scored 48 goals this season leave after only two seasons. With its ambition, the Etihad Stadium team will want to keep Haaland for as long as possible. They are not Dortmund or Salzburg, clubs that were only seen by players as a launching pad to move to bigger clubs in the past.

If Man City beat Real Madrid to win the European Championship for the first time, why did Haaland have to leave? But even if the prospect of Haaland going to Real Madrid in the summer of 2024 is very unlikely, the Madrid media shaking the player’s spirit with rumors also benefits Real. Pep’s side are the ones under greater pressure ahead of the Champions League semi-finals.

They are rated higher than the opponent and need to “break the curse” of the Champions League. Real Madrid and coach Carlo Ancelotti have nothing to worry about. They beat Man City last season.

Haaland must show bravery

No one knows exactly if Haaland’s contract with Man City has a release clause. In February, lawyer Rafaela Pimenta, representing Haaland, confirmed that the contract release clause between the client and Man City is worth 200 million euros (£175.5 million) and will be activated from 2024.

Haaland’s release clause only applies to clubs outside the Premier League. The figure of 200 million euros will also decrease year by year Haaland’s contract with the Etihad Stadium team.

Haaland and Mbappe are two names on Real Madrid’s transfer list to replace Benzema in the future.

However, in March, British media revealed that Haaland’s contract release clause would only be activated if Pep was no longer the head coach of Man City.

Goal revealed that when Haaland signed with Man City last summer, the Etihad team’s leadership agreed to insert a clause to release the player’s contract, but it will only be activated if Pep leaves the club in 2023. November/ 2022, the Catalan strategist has agreed to sign a 2-year contract extension with Man City. As Pep does not leave Man City before 2023, Haaland’s contract release clause is void.

The uncertainty in the terms of Haaland’s contract with Man City creates an opportunity for the Madrid media. It also shows the familiar tactics of Real Madrid or Barca, which is to make the most of the media to hit the players’ psychology. Even if Haaland does not come to the Bernabeu in the summer of 2024, as long as the Norwegian striker has mental problems before the Champions League semi-final match, Real will be somewhat successful.

The battle between Real Madrid and Man City has started right before the ball has rolled, with Haaland at the center. Will the Norwegian striker overcome the tricks of the opponent to help Man City win? It’s time for Haaland to show the bravery of a great player, who is expected to inherit Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.