Haaland: ‘The ogre’ returns to the Bernabéu: what is his record against Real Madrid?

When the game ended, Erling Haaland (25) went over to hug and chat with Raúl Asencio (23). The two had just fought a fierce duel in which sometimes the Norwegian came out on top and sometimes the Canary Islander did.

“He was trying to push me and pick a fight with me. I like that. I’ve also had great battles with Rüdiger,” he told television reporters.

That was on December 10. Today, 91 days later, they will face each other again. It will be the fourth time the giant (6 ft 5 in / 1.95 meters) sets foot in the Bernabéu – a stadium that has not been especially kind to him, even though his presence causes havoc in any defense.

At the famous stadium on the Castellana, he has managed to score just once: a penalty on his last visit, that same December 10 game during the league phase. The spot kick, incidentally, had been won by Haaland himself. Curiously, he appeared reluctant to celebrate the goal.

The photograph that illustrates this report actually belongs to his first visit to tonight’s stage. It came in the 2022–23 season, when he had a bruising duel with Antonio Rüdiger, one the German ultimately won.

The same thing happened in the 2023–24 campaign. Even though Manchester City scored three goals on their visit to Madrid, Haaland failed to find the net. It was only on his third appearance that he finally scored. He also did so in the 2024–25 season, when he was responsible for both City goals against Real Madrid, although the Spanish side still claimed the victory (3–2).

In total, the Norwegian has scored three goals in six games against Madrid, in a curious run of results: two wins against the Spanish giants, two draws and two defeats.

Long linked with a potential move to Real Madrid, Haaland has never hidden his admiration for several of the club’s players. He has liked messages from them on social media and praised figures such as Kylian Mbappé – “When you have to play against Kylian and he’s not playing, you’re not happy…” – as well as Vinícius Júnior and Jude Bellingham, with whom he shared a dressing room at Borussia Dortmund and formed a close friendship.

He has also spoken warmly about Madrid’s stadium itself:

“The Bernabéu is a great stadium. It’s one of the places you want to play. It’s incredible.”

Tonight, he will do it again.

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.