Ahead of the Champions League resumption, Sébastien Haller looks back on his stellar performance in the group stage. The Ajax attacker closed the group stage with ten goals in six matches. Haller thus equaled a record of Cristiano Ronaldo, who also managed to find the net at least once in all group matches in the 2017/18 season as a player for Real Madrid.
“You don’t know what to say when something like this happens to you,” says Haller at the request of the program Inside Ajax from Ziggo Sports back on his feat in the group stage of the Champions League. “You’re like: how is that possible? It gives a lot of confidence when people point out that you are the top scorer in the Champions League. At such a moment I hardly realize what they are saying. My teammates, but also the staff, The trainer and fans have each contributed in turn. The same applies to family and friends. It is a beautiful adventure and this is only the beginning. It is simply beautiful,” said the grateful Ajax striker.
The Ajax striker had an amazing start to the Champions League season, with four goals against Sporting Portugal.
“I would have been satisfied with one goal,” Haller once again refers to the opening phase of this season’s Champions League, when he scored four times against Sporting Portugal. “I have scored once, my life is complete. The Champions League is something you dream about as a child. But you don’t expect to actually achieve it. It’s a dream you never expect to actually realize. within reach, it became a target. It’s unbelievable. Every Champions League game I get to play feels like a gift.”
“If you had told me before the start of the Champions League that I would score so often, I would not have believed it. But if you look back at the matches, it is a logical consequence of the opportunities I got because of our good game,” shares Haller compliments his teammates at Ajax. “Ten goals is an excellent number, especially considering the number of opportunities we have created and the opportunities that have resulted. I could have scored even more. It’s a fantastic number. If you had asked me beforehand, I would have thought you were crazy. Today it is reality,” emphasizes the proud attacker once again.
Playing in the Champions League remains something special for the eager Haller. “It’s a stage I never thought I could play on. A stage that belongs to the absolute stars. When I started playing football I had no idea how I would ever reach that level, how I would become a professional footballer. was mainly busy with good football. Now I’m living the dream.” As a child, Haller dreamed of a career like that of his idols Thierry Henry, Didier Drogba and the Brazilian Ronaldo. “They were all fantastic strikers. In France, Zinedine Zidane was the greatest, everyone wanted Zizou Haller will first play against Benfica with Ajax on Wednesday, with the return in Amsterdam on March 15.