Revealed: what Mikel Obi said about Erling Haaland after Champions League match

• Manchester City began their 2024/25 UEFA Champions League campaign with a goalless draw against Inter Milan
• The English and Italian champions clashed in their first games of the new UCL format at the Etihad Stadium
• Chelsea legend John Obi Mikel has questioned Norwegian striker Erling Haaland’s performances in big games

Chelsea legend John Obi Mikel has aimed a dig at Manchester City striker Erling Haaland after the English champions drew 0-0 against Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League.

City played a goalless draw against the Italian champions in their first game of the new Champions League format at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester.

Erling Haaland looks dejected after Manchester City's 0-0 draw with Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League. Photo by James Gill.
Source: Getty Images

It is the first and only time the two 2023 finalists will meet until the next round, as no team will play each other twice in the group stages under the new format rules.

Mikel aims dig at Erling Haaland

Mikel has found a new career in punditry since his retirement, and when he is not making episodes of his Obi One Podcast, he features with different media houses.

Speaking on punditry duties with Bein Sport during last night's UEFA Champions League games, he singled out Haaland and criticised the Norwegian striker.

“Right now, he hasn’t. We can agree on that,” he said about the striker's performance in big games.“He’s scored goals, so many goals, but in the big games, I want to see him do that on Sunday again when they play Arsenal. I want to see him show up in big games and be the man. Score one or two, hat-trick, whatever it is.”

Mikel admitted that the 23-year-old has improved his general gameplay but needs to be more visible in the big names, similar to current Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi.

“I think his general play has become much better than he did last season, but I want him to step up in big games like Messi. Impacts come from showing up in games,” he added.“He’s a machine, and he scores goals, and no one doubts that, but he needs to show up in big games, and hopefully, we see more of that this season.”

According to Sporting News, Haaland has featured in five semi-finals and seven finals in his career. He has never scored in a semi-final, and his three goals in finals came in his first season at Borussia Dortmund.

Mikel aims dig at Nicolas Jackson

Legit.ng reported that Mikel Obi advised Enzo Maresca to explore other Chelsea attackers in the number nine position as Nicolas Jackson remains unreliable.

The club legend, who was insulted by the Senegalese forward weeks ago, remains adamant that he is not clinical enough to lead Chelsea back to the glory days.

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Source: Legit.ng