FOOTBALL
Dortmund 'goal machine' Haaland learning from Ibrahimovic
Erling Haaland said he is learning from Zlatan Ibrahimovic after his stunning goal against Schalke, while Jadon Sancho hailed Borussia Dortmund's "goal machine".
Haaland scored a brace, including a spectacular volley, as Dortmund crushed lowly Schalke 4-0 in Saturday's Revierderby at the VELTINS-Arena.
After netting twice in the Champions League win at Sevilla on Wednesday, in-demand Norway international Haaland took his Bundesliga tally for Dortmund to 30 in 32 matches.
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Reflecting on his memorable 45th-minute goal – teed up by star team-mate Jadon Sancho, Haaland told Bundesliga.com: "It was a nice goal.
— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) February 20, 2021
"Obviously it was a good assist from Jadon. We try to work a lot and it's a pleasure to play with this guy."
Asked if he had developed a taste for spectacular goals from Swedish great Ibrahimovic, Haaland – who has been linked to the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City, Barcelona, Juventus and Manchester United – replied: "Maybe. Maybe I'm learning a bit from him!"
Sancho became the youngest player to reach 35 goals in Bundesliga history, aged 20 years, 10 months and 26 days.
Put it in the Louvre. pic.twitter.com/p92kAsAoE1— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) February 20, 2021
Tipped to join Premier League powerhouse United at the start of the season, England international Sancho lauded Haaland post-match.
"He's a goal machine," said Sancho. "I'm happy to assist his crazy goal, his first goal.
"On the training pitch, me and Erling work together so hard so I'm wasn't surprised that he's able to do some of the things he does on the pitch. He deserves all the credit."
35 - Aged 20 years, 10 months and 26 days @Sanchooo10 (@BlackYellow ) is the youngest player in Bundesliga history to score 35 goals. Prodigy. #S04BVB pic.twitter.com/pcmxhSATpk— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) February 20, 2021
Interim Dortmund head coach Edin Terzic heaped praise on both Haaland and Sancho afterwards.
"They've been fantastic in the past weeks as well," Terzic said. "You can see the quality those boys bring to us. At the second goal the cross by Jadon has already been remarkable and the way Erling hammered it in was extraordinary.
"But from a manager's perspective I have to say I preferred the third goal, because it was a great team effort where we've seen the exact things we practice in training, the way we want to combine and then quickly get behind the defence through one touch on the wings and play a cross. So the third goal makes me even happier and prouder."
On Sancho specifically following a slow start to the season, Terzic added: "It was clear that Jadon hasn't unlearnt how to play football. He is a very talented player, and we are quite spoilt seeing him on the pitch in the last couple of years, because he’s always been very productive.
"It wasn't an easy time for him, and we went through it together. I was asked a lot of times about how we deal with him. We talked a lot and we worked with him individually and tried supporting him as a team. He plays on the other side on and with Raphael Guerrero he's got a great partner with whom he can combine well. He found back to being a dangerous attacker and makes assists.
"He's back at his old strength but it doesn't mean we will stop progressing. We will continue and we have several tasks we need to achieve, and we need Jadon in top form for that."
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