Bayern Munich boss Hansi Flick says 'too early' to compare Erling Haaland to 'world-class' Robert Lewandowski
Bayern Munich boss Hansi Flick has lavished praise upon "huge talent" Erling Haaland, but insists it is too early to compare the Borussia Dortmund striker to Bundesliga top scorer Robert Lewandowski.
Haaland, 19, has established a reputation as one of European football's most exciting young talents this term, initially after scoring 29 goals in just 27 appearances for Austrian champions Red Bull Salzburg.
Such a prolific stint led the teenager - who was pursued by multiple clubs including Manchester United and Juventus - to complete a high-profile €20million move to Dortmund during the January transfer window, since when his reputation has only continued to soar.
The Norwegian international notched 12 times in his first 11 outings for BVB - including a 20-minute debut hat-trick - before the 2019-20 Bundesliga campaign was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic and marked its return last weekend by netting a superb opener in a crushing 4-0 Revierderby victory over rivals Schalke.
Second-placed Dortmund will be looking for Haaland to help fire them to back within a point of German top-flight leaders and reigning champions Bayern Munich on Tuesday evening when the title rivals go head to head behind closed doors in the latest edition of 'Der Klassiker' at the Westfalenstadion.
Spearheading Bayern's attack will be the perennially prolific former Dortmund favourite Lewandowski, who has scored 27 times already in the league this term - and 41 in total across all competitions - as the Bundesliga's third all-time top scorer targets a fifth Golden Boot award in just seven years.
Plenty of comparisons are inevitably already being made between the two star strikers, though Bayern boss Flick believes they are premature at this stage, while also warning of the other threats boasted by a Dortmund team also containing the likes of Jadon Sancho, Julian Brandt, Thorgan Hazard and the versatile Raphael Guerreiro.
"It is his [Haaland's] first season, so comparing him is too early," Flick said. "Robert has always been at world-class level in recent years. But Haaland is a huge talent.
"He is a young player, but he has a huge pull to the goal. He just wants to finish. He has an enormous dynamic.
"He is greedy, has an enormous size and is still agile. But we don't just have to take care of him."
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