Back on Manchester soil after joining Napoli on a season-long loan from Manchester United, Rasmus Hojlund led the line for Antonio Conte for 72 minutes during their 2-0 loss to Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the Champions League on Thursday night. Failing to score in a narrow defeat, what did the Italian media make of the young, raw Denmark striker’s performance?
Unfavoured at Old Trafford following Benjamin Sesko’s arrival from RB Leipzig, Hojlund – a United fan from Copenhagen – wanted to stay and fight for his place under Ruben Amorim but, instead, the reigning Serie A champions enquired about a loan move. A deal was struck, and he moved from England to Italy at the end of June.
According to those close to the situation, per The Athletic, the decision to allow the 22-year-old striker to move onto pastures new this summer was made after fourth-tier opposition Grimsby Town knocked the 13-time Premier League champions out of the Carabao Cup. He’ll be hoping that his on-loan performances can regain the attention of Amorim, but did he do that against City?
Hojlund’s Display vs City Analysed by Italian Media
Following his move to Naples, Hojlund was quick off the mark in a goalscoring sense. Starting as he meant to go on, the 26-cap Denmark international – starting in the absence of the injured Romelu Lukaku – scored his side’s second in a 3-1 win over Fiorentina. But, perhaps as expected, he didn’t have the same luck mid-week.
It’s difficult to suggest that the Etihad Stadium has been a happy hunting ground for Hojlund over the years. His United side won there last term, 2-1, but he’s yet to score in any of his five appearances against a side led by the imperious Guardiola.
With Erling Haaland, who scored City’s first of the affair, the oulet for the English side, Hojlund was tasked with the same job for the visitors: Scott McTominay, Kevin De Bruyne and Matteo Politano were among those tasked with operating in the spaces behind him and finding the Copenhagen academy graduate with in-behind balls.
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