Manchester City forward Erling Haaland lauded Nigerian defender Calvin Bassey.
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland cited Super Eagles’ Calvin Bassey as an archetypal Premier League defender as he lauded the physicality of the English top flight.
Haaland in action for Man City || Imago
The 25-year-old recently squared up against Bassey and Co in the nine-goal thriller between Manchester City vs Fulham which ended 5–4 in the Cityzens’ favour.
He highlighted the physical battle against the Nigerian, explaining that the intensity of sides like Fulham differentiates the Premier League from the Bundesliga where he played with Borussia Dortmund.
What Haaland said
During a recent appearance on the Rest is Football podcast, the Norway international discussed his target in the Premier League this season.
He also discussed the difficulty of playing in the Premier League, where he cited Bassey’s physicality.
“It’s not easy [playing in the Premier League]. It’s hard, it’s very hard. Coming from Germany, here, it’s different; it’s more physical,” he said.
“It’s more about duels, about contact. Even playing against Fulham, that’s a top team. Look at the game, it’s 5-4 in the end.
“It’s incredible. When you play against Bassey, you know. How strong is he? Then you have Andersen, who’s huge. Every game comes with its perks, even though you have your own plans.
“In the end, the physicality is intense because you also have so many games. That also means you have to work more on the recovery side and be ready for the next game.”
