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Erling Haaland can be the difference between nearly men and conquerors for Man City in the Champions League final with the Norwegian comfortably soaking in the stardom his goals have generated as history beckons in Istanbul

It’s Pep Guardiola’s spin on Murderball, the old Marcelo Bielsa training free-for-all. A quarter of a pitch, three teams of seven, offside only enforceable in the final few yards before goal. There don’t appear to be fouls or a referee, only physios sticking their hand up along the touchline if anybody is goal-hanging.

Manchester City have been doing it for some time and it can be manic, a constantly evolving winner-stays-on game with teams rotating which one of them stands and watches from the sidelines.

Highly-rated 17-year-old centre half Max Alleyne featured earlier this week; there might not be a more forensic test of a youngster’s ability in world football.