Kylian Mbappe vs Erling Haaland: Thierry Henry reveals which player he'd like to coach

Both mentioned stars met in the Champions League play-offs first leg yesterday.

Thierry Henry would rather train Kylian Mbappe than Erling Haaland as he feels the Real Madrid player has “more talent” than the Manchester City striker.

Real Madrid won 3-2 on Tuesday night thanks to goals from Mbappe, Brahim Diaz and Jude Bellingham in the highly anticipated Champions League last 16 playoffs first-leg match at the Etihad Stadium. Meanwhile, Haaland scored both of City’s two goals. However, the Premier League giants now have an uphill battle in the second leg.

Members of the CBS Sports Champions League broadcast team, Henry, Jamie Carragher, and Micah Richards, started a discussion on Mbappe and Haaland’s relative merits. Henry, the panel’s lone former striker, was asked to rate the two superstars and decide whom he thought was better, and his answer was clear-cut.

“Kylian, for me, has more of a pass,” Henry stated. “I’ll explain. This is a guy that’s trying to play as a nine for one and a half years. They tried to do it at Paris Saint-Germain and it didn’t work out too much. Now he is doing it at Real Madrid, the biggest club in Europe. He has to adapt to that.”

The Norwegian scorer has always served as a typical No. 9, he noted, drawing a comparison between Mbappe and Haaland’s career path.

Henry was quick to respond when Carragher asked him which of the two he would like to manage for his squad.

“Mbappe, all day,” he said. “Because he does – or offers – different options. For a coach, he can play on the right, he can play on the left, and he can play in the middle. Can Haaland play any position other than a nine?”

Henry may have praised Kylian Mbappe, but he still has a long way to go. When City travel to the Santiago Bernabeu for the second leg of the fixture next Wednesday, the France international needs to be playing at his peak. However, Real Madrid will be the favourites to advance because of their home advantage and one-goal lead. The task facing City is straightforward: either reverse the deficit or exit the competition early.

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