Former Bundesliga striker and now TV pundit Jan Aage Fjörtoft has compared former BVB striker Erling Haaland and Robert Lewandowski, FC Bayern’s longtime goalscorer.
“The amazing thing about both of them is that they don’t seem to need any time to acclimate. They just keep hitting the ball, one in Manchester, the other in Barcelona, and they immediately show their game intelligence in new countries,” explained Fjörtoft in the “kicker ” and added: “Which also invalidates how much easier it is supposedly to score goals in the Bundesliga. They succeed everywhere.”
Lewandowski has scored six goals in just five league games for Barca, Haaland has ten goals in six games in the Premier League. The Norwegian thus seamlessly matched his quota from the Bundesliga after moving from Borussia Dortmund to the Citizens.
“Many have said that he will have a problem at ManCity because the spaces are getting narrower, but he was underestimated there. He looks for his zones and scores goals there too,” emphasized Fjörtoft, who used to be a striker himself England and Germany was.
Fjörtoft compares Haaland with the FC Bayern icon
The fact that Haaland only had to push the ball in with many goals is not to be seen negatively. “It shows class, knowing how to play,” said the expert and confidant of the 22-year-old, who praised Haaland because of his “body language” and compared it to a big one from FC Bayern: “Let’s remember: why was Gerd Müller always free?”
In Manchester, his quality would also come after crosses in the 1.95 meter man. The reason for this is simple: “Because he is wanted.” At BVB, it was often more of a counterattack that he then completed, according to Fjörtoft.
Fjörtoft: That’s why Xavi Lewandowski really wanted to
On the other hand, Robert Lewandowski is an “all-round striker”, simply “complete”, explained the 55-year-old Norwegian.
“He can play as a nine, even as a wrong nine, even if you don’t believe it at first because he’s in the penalty area so often. But he also makes his way, knows what’s going to happen,” said Fjörtoft.
Lewandowski was “one of the smartest footballers of his generation”, which is why coach Xavi, who was himself considered a mastermind on the field, really wanted to bring him to Barcelona, the TV expert suspected.
In the end, both Haaland and Lewandowski both “landed at clubs where they can play to their strengths even more, but at the same time don’t forget what distinguished them at Bayern and Dortmund.”