Inter Milan veteran Francesco Acerbi produced yet another masterclass performance against Manchester City bomber Erling Haaland, thus earning himself praise of the highest order.
Despite his 36 years, the Italian proved himself once more as one of the finest man-markers in Europe.
The former Lazio star conjured the memory of the Champions League final in Istanbul by keeping the Norwegian striker quiet once again.
The 24-year-old has been unstoppable in the Premier League, scoring a whopping nine goals in four outings.
However, Haaland couldn’t find a way past Acerbi on Wednesday night when Man City and Inter collided on the opening day of the Champions League group stage.
The match ended in a stalemate that earned the Nerazzurri a precious point away from home.
For his part, Acerbi consolidated his status as one of the most robust defenders around.
La Gazzetta dello Sport (via FcInterNews) compared the veteran’s display at the Etihad to Claudio Gentile in the 1982 World Cup clash between Italy and Brazil.
The Juventus legend was one of the nastiest defenders on the globe during his time. On that occasion, he kept Zico at bay for the duration of the match.
Inter Milan Star Francesco Acerbi Hailed For Stopping Man City Striker Erling Haaland
But as the pink newspaper notes, the attackers are more protected by the refereeing in the current day and age.
So while Gentile could resort to the dark arts of defending, Acerbi only has limited access to it. This is especially the case now, with VAR ready to review every action.
Nevertheless, the Nerazzurri stalwart proved his value to the cause once more. The source thus describes him as the “Anti-Viking” who kept the terrifying Haaland in his pocket.