Inter defender reveals plan to stop Manchester City's Haaland ahead of Champions League opener

Man City’s Erling Haaland is in spectacular form | Imago

Inter defender reveals plan to stop Manchester City's Haaland ahead of Champions League opener

Ayoola Kelechi 23:50 - 16.09.2024

The thought of facing Erling Haaland has Inter's defence on high alert ahead of their Champions League opening game against Manchester City

Inter defender Stefan de Vrij has shared insights on how his team plans to contain Manchester City’s prolific striker, Erling Haaland, ahead of their highly anticipated Champions League opener.

Inter’s plan to stop Haaland

In his interview with DAZN, De Vrij acknowledged the challenge posed by Haaland but stressed that Manchester City’s attack cannot be reduced to just one player.

Inter defender Stefan de Vrij | Imago
Inter defender Stefan de Vrij | Imago Inter defender Stefan de Vrij | Imago

Instead, the Dutch defender explained how Inter were going to stop the prolific striker saying, “You have to work as a team to limit him, but also remember that Manchester City is not just Haaland.

“He is in good shape and scored a lot this season, but we have to defend as a team.”

Erling Haaland has now scored nine goals in his first four Premier League matches this season
Erling Haaland has now scored nine goals in his first four Premier League matches this season Erling Haaland has now scored nine goals in his first four Premier League matches this season

Haaland has already scored nine goals in just four Premier League matches this season and appears to be setting the tone for a spectacular season, giving Champions League opener opponents Inter sleepless nights.

Inter looking to improve on Monza performance

With the crucial tie against Manchester City coming up, the Nerazzurri will be looking to avoid a repeat of their struggles against Monza, where they were exposed defensively and had to rely on a late equaliser from Denzel Dumfries to salvage a point.

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Reflecting on the disappointing draw against Monza, De Vrij admitted that Inter needs to learn from their mistakes, adding, “At times we were too slow moving the ball around and could’ve been sharper in the final pass.

“If you break the deadlock against these teams, it all gets easier, but we struggled to find that opening.”

Inter struggled in a 1-1 draw against Monza | Imago
Inter struggled in a 1-1 draw against Monza | Imago Inter struggled in a 1-1 draw against Monza | Imago

With tough fixtures against Manchester City and city rivals AC Milan coming up, De Vrij remains optimistic, adding that there are “no alarm bells” despite the Monza result.