‘What a ride, thank you, Erling!’: Borussia Dortmund pay tribute to departing star Haaland ahead of his final home game in front of the Yellow Wall as he is serenaded by fans and handed a bouquet of flowers after completing £51m move to Man City
- Borussia Dortmund honoured Erling Haaland ahead of his exit this summer
- Haaland was applauded by fans and team-mates before the final home game
- The 21-year-old will join Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in a £52million move
Borussia Dortmund have paid tribute to departing striker Erling Haaland ahead of his move to Manchester City this summer.
It was confirmed last week that the 21-year-old will join Pep Guardiola’s side at the end of the season in a £51million move.
Ahead of the last home of the season against Hertha Berlin, Haaland was honoured in front of a full Signal Iduna Park.
Erling Haaland was honoured ahead of his final home game with Borussia Dortmund
Before kick-off, he was given a round of applause by fans and team-mates and was then presented with flowers and a ‘Danke Haaland’ poster by Dortmund chiefs.
The Norwegian went on to score from the penalty spot as Dortmund came from behind to beat Hertha Berlin 2-1 on the final day of the Bundesliga season.
It brings and end to his two-and-a-half year stay at the club, where he has produced a number of memorable goals having arrived from Red Bull Salzburg.
Haaland attracted interest from around Europe after netting 85 times in 88 appearances for Dortmund.
Erling Haaland scored the equaliser in Dortmund’s 2-1 win over Hertha Berlin on Saturday
City beat Real Madrid to the striker’s signature, and he had also been linked with Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United in recent months.
Guardiola spoke about Haaland’s arrival for the first time after City’s 5-1 win over Wolves in midweek.
He told Sky Sports: ‘Definitely, he can help us score more. It is not about that. In the end it is about winning games.
The 21-year-old Norway striker will join Pep Guardiola’s squad ahead of the 2022-23 campaign
‘I never thought that our defensive situation depends on the central defender and I never thought that the goals we score depend on the striker. He has scored a lot of goals in his career and we are going to try to help him through the game, having more chances to score goals.
‘We are never going to give him the responsibility to score goals. We have to win games and if we are going to win games we need everyone doing it the best way, arriving as much as possible. After, of course, if we arrive there, with the quality that we believe he has, we can do it.
‘I respond because I have to do it and I am a polite man but this is next season. Now we have to work a lot this season. It is not done. We still have a job to do. We saw yesterday how tough Aston Villa will be and, of course, West Ham. So, I still have a job to do.’