Carragher’s Wild Theory as to Why Erling Haaland Didn’t Play vs Real Madrid.
Pep Guardiola was without the talismanic Erling Haaland during their 3-1 loss to Real Madrid in their 2024/25 Champions League play-off fixture – and defender-turned-pundit Jamie Carragher has provided a wild theory for the Norwegian’s absence.
Haaland – widely regarded as one of the best strikers in world football behind the like of Kylian Mbappe, whose hat-trick knocked the reigning Premier League champions out of Europe – was an injury doubt heading into their Santiago Bernabeu-based encounter.
During Manchester City’s 4-0 rout over Newcastle United on the weekend, the imposing line-leader was substituted in the 88th minute with an apparent knee injury. Guardiola, with their Champions League clash on the horizon, took no chances.
Jamie Carragher’s Wild Claim for Haaland Absence
Micah Richards quickly challenged his theory
Guardiola and his entourage, before last night, were looking to be crowned Champions League winners in May – but their campaign was cut short after Mbappe’s three-goal haul knocked them for six. Haaland spent the entire 90 minutes on the bench.
Guillem Balague, speaking on CBS Sports ahead of kick off, explained that Leeds-born Haaland, 24, had informed Guardiola on Wednesday morning that he was not fit enough to play after jarring his knee against the Magpies.
In response, Carragher – who turned out 737 times for Liverpool during his career – supplied his own theory, perhaps in jest, that Haaland was reluctant to step onto the field following the news that Antonio Rudiger had been deemed fit to start for Los Blancos.
Unsure whether Balague’s claim was true, he said: “So let me work this out. Haaland has gone to the manager this morning and said he’s not fit? Do you think that’s got something to do with Rudiger? Is it because Rudiger is playing?
He’s on the bench so he can’t be injured. I never went to see the manager on the morning of a game and said I’m not fit. So he’s injured, is he? It’s Rudiger-it is is it? Is that what we’re saying here?
Micah Richards was quick to interject and suggested that Carragher’s theory was nothing short of ‘nonsense’. He replied: “Look at him, look at the narratives. It’s just nonsense. Come on Jamie, you’re better than that, you’re better than that.”
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Speaking after the game, Guardiola – widely regarded as one of the best managers in football history – insisted that Haaland had attempted to regain match fitness after his knock against Newcastle but that returning too early was not on the agenda.
“Erling, yesterday, tried to train after the action against Newcastle in the last minutes. Probably, with the images (scans) we have done, it’s fine but he has discomfort walking, for example with stairs, and we spoke yesterday and this morning and he said he’s not ready, he doesn’t feel good.”
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Up next for Manchester City is a test against Premier League table toppers Liverpool, who are looking to secure silverware in Arne Slot’s maiden campaign. At the time of writing, there are currently three places – and 17 points – between the two in the table.
