The Norwegian teenager may have scored two goals but it was his work without the ball that most impressed his manager
Borussia Dortmund head coach Lucien Favre lauded Erling Haaland after his record-breaking performance in the Champions League.
Haaland made history with his quick-fire second-half brace as Dortmund defeated Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 in the opening leg of their last-16 tie on Tuesday.
The 19-year-old striker became the fastest player to score 10 goals in Champions League history, reaching the feat in just his seventh appearance.
Haaland shattered records on his Champions League debut for Dortmund and Favre lauded the Norway international, who only arrived from Salzburg in January.
“He defended well with the others,” Favre told reporters post-game. “He also stood very compactly in combination with the other players. It helped us that he also defended. He did that very, very well.
“If we have the possibility to combine with him, then we will do that. Either with balls into the depth or he gets the ball and holds it for now. He did that very well.
“Before the 2-1 it is a great pass from Giovanni Reyna. The ball was very good, but it was especially so good because Haaland moved well.”
Among the records, Haaland – at 19 years and 212 days – is the second youngest player to reach 10 goals in the Champions League, behind PSG star Kylian Mbappe (18y, 360d).
Haaland, who turned down a January move to Premier League giants Manchester United, has scored 11 goals in his first seven games in all competitions for Dortmund – no other player from a Bundesliga side has ever achieved that feat.
He also became the first Dortmund player to score on his debut in the Bundesliga, Champions League and DFB-Pokal, as his remarkable season continued.
Despite continuing to score so freely for his new club, the Norway international believes he can still provide more on the pitch.
“I am glad about the man of the match award, but feel like I still can do a lot better,” Haaland said after the win. “I have to play better at this level, have to work hard to improve.
“The result is quite a dangerous one, as PSG has a very strong team and can still go through in the return leg.”
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