Home ›› 17 Aug 2021 ›› Sport
Bayern Munich are the next team to try to shackle Norwegian goal-machine Erling Braut Haaland when the defending Bundesliga champions face Borussia Dortmund for the German Super Cup today.
Under new coach Julian Nagelsmann, Bayern are bidding to win a tenth straight Bundesliga title, but were held to a 1-1 draw at Moenchengladbach last Friday on the season’s opening weekend.
Dortmund threw down a marker before the one-off German Super Cup match by beating Frankfurt 5-2 at home on Saturday with Haaland involved in all of the hosts’ five goals.
The towering striker, who only turned 21 last month, has now scored a phenomenal 62 times in 61 games for Dortmund.
“Haaland is the complete package, that has to be said. We need him,” said Dortmund captain Marco Reus.
Haaland has already scored five goals in his first two games this season. A hat-trick in the German Cup was followed up by a stunning display in the Bundesliga as he tore into Frankfurt defence, scoring twice and creating goals for Reus, Thorgan Hazard and Giovanni Reyna.
“It’s amazing the consistency he brings to the field. “We are happy that he is here and it’s for others to think about how to stop him,” said Dortmund’s new head coach Marco Rose.
The Bavarian giants, who are looking to sign the Norwegian, will get a closer look Tuesday when Haaland goes head-to-head with Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski, 33 next Saturday.
The German media are raving about Haaland, who top-selling daily Bild describe as “the player who tears even non-Dortmund fans out of their seats”.
Dortmund and Bayern first meet in the league this season in December, so Tuesday gives the rivals a chance to size up each other.
“This will be a game in which we can once again measure ourselves against the best team in Germany,” said Dortmund coach Rose.
“We want to prepare well and continue where we left off, because this game can help us to become more consistent.”
