Manchester City experienced a difficult night in Europe on Wednesday, as their Champions League hopes took a major hit.
Pep Guardiola’s side were beaten 3-0 by Real Madrid in the first leg of their last-16 clash at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Federico Valverde proved the difference on the night, scoring a sensational first-half hat-trick.
Despite enjoying early spells of possession during the match, with multiple flashes on goal, Manchester City struggled to break down the Spanish side.
The Premier League runners up have a mountain to climb in the return fixture.
It was also a frustrating evening for Erling Haaland, who failed to make an impact against Madrid’s defence.
The Norwegian striker had a quiet performance at the Bernabeu, where he only had ten touches.
Haaland’s difficult night has come during what some observers believe to be a rare dip in form for the prolific striker.
But while Manchester City attempt to regroup following their European setback, uncertainty about Haaland’s future would do the club no favours.
According to Sport.es, Barcelona have held a meeting with Manchester City officials to discuss a potential future deal involving Haaland.
The report claims members of Barcelona presidential candidate’s, Victor Font, sporting team met with City CEO Ferran Soriano and sporting director Hugo Viana in Madrid.
Discussions included the possibility of negotiating a buy option for Haaland should the striker become available in the future.
Such an agreement would potentially allow Barcelona to move ahead of other interested clubs if Haaland were ever to leave Manchester City.
For now, Haaland remains under contract at the Etihad and continues to be one of the most valuable players in world football.
However, with Barcelona exploring long-term options in the transfer market, speculation over a potential move for the Norwegian striker looks unlikely to disappear any time soon.
Want to get the latest transfer news direct to your phone? Join our WhatsApp community by clicking here.
