Italy legend Alessandro Nesta insists he would have held his own against Man City’s Erling Haaland
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Italian legend Alessandro Nesta insists he would have stood his ground against Erling Haaland after meeting Brazil’s Ronaldo in his playing days… while explaining that ‘staying close’ to the Man City striker is the way to keep him stop
- Erling Haaland has made a stunning start at Man City, scoring 14 league goals
- Alessandro Nesta is asked if he is Haaland. would have tackled
- Italian legend thinks he would have held his own against the City striker
- Nesta has pointed out that he faced Brazil’s Ronaldo, who was of a ‘different’ level
- Nesta believes ‘staying close’ to Haaland is the best way to stop him
- Click here for all the latest 2022 World Cup news and updates
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World Cup winner Alessandro Nesta has insisted he could have stopped Manchester City player Erling Haaland in his best time.
Haaland has taken the Premier League by storm since joining Manchester City in July, scoring 14 goals in just eight league games.
Defenders in England were unable to cope with Haaland, but Nesta believes he could hold his own against the Norwegian striker when he played against Brazilian Ronaldo who was of a ‘different’ level.
Erling Haaland has been shooting goals for Manchester City since joining the club in July
Alessandro Nesta still thinks he would have stood his ground against Haaland in his prime
‘I can play, yes! Because I played against Ronaldo, the Brazilian,” Nesta explained to COPA90 when asked how he would have fared against Haaland.
‘Haaland is very good, but the other one’ [Ronaldo] was something else.
“I played against Messi, against Cristiano, but the Brazilian Ronaldo was different for me.”
Nesta was widely regarded as one of the best central defenders of his generation, as he won three Serie A titles, two Champions League trophies and the World Cup with Italy during his playing days in 2006.
On how he would stop Haaland, Nesta said it’s important not to give the attacker space or else he will punish you.
Nesta has pointed out that he played against Brazilian Ronaldo who was of a ‘different’ level
‘I try to stay close to him. When he tries to start [running]maybe i’m blocking [him]Nesta added.
“Too much space – you’re dead!”
Nesta’s comments about including Haaland match those of former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, who recently admitted he was “baffled” that no one had yet tried to put the City striker off his game.
“One thing I haven’t seen any defender do is try to shake his feathers and try to get him out of rhythm,” Ferdinand said in the podcast FIVE on his YouTube channel.
“I’ve seen him run untouched from the center line. You definitely have to get in his way, get in his way, give him a shoulder, push him a little. I don’t see anyone doing it. I am baffled.
“And when the ball is in the penalty area, nobody touches it. I don’t think people understand that you sometimes need body contact near or in the danger zones to deter him.’