Maxime Estève Calls Haaland the Best Striker He Has Faced

RB Leipzig defender Maxime Estève is preparing for a major challenge as his side get ready to face Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday. The 24-year-old centre-back could make his Champions League debut against Erling Haaland, whom he describes as the best striker he has faced in his career.

Estève already knows what it takes to defend against the Norwegian forward, having faced him twice during his time at Burnley. With Haaland scoring 13 goals in all competitions this season, the Leipzig defender understands that stopping him will require concentration, physical strength and careful attention to his movement.

Having joined Leipzig from Burnley for €25 million in the summer of 2026, Estève is still waiting for his first appearance in the Champions League. He has featured four times in the Bundesliga but has remained an unused substitute in all three of Leipzig’s European matches so far.

The upcoming meeting with Manchester City could provide the opportunity he has been waiting for. Estève is also drawing inspiration from former Manchester City defenders Vincent Kompany and Martin Demichelis, both of whom have coached him and helped shape his understanding of the demands of elite football.

Maxime Estève calls Erling Haaland the best striker he has faced

Estève has already experienced the difficulty of defending against Haaland. During his spell at Burnley between 2024 and 2026, he came up against the Manchester City striker twice and was impressed by his combination of physical power, speed, aerial ability and finishing.

The Leipzig defender believes Haaland remains among the world’s leading forwards alongside Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane. He also expects the Norwegian to remain at the top level for years because of the range of qualities he brings to the position.

“I played twice against him and he’s the best striker in the world at this point along with Harry Kane,” Estève told reporters on Monday. “In a few years’ time he’ll still be in this position: he’s so powerful, so good at heading, so quick, and he has all the qualities to be a beast. But to progress in football, you must play against the best opponents so it’s a good challenge to play against these opponents and types of players.”

Estève’s comments reflect the respect he has for Haaland’s ability to influence matches. The Manchester City forward does not need constant involvement in possession to remain dangerous, making him particularly difficult for defenders to track throughout a game.

For Leipzig, containing Haaland will be one of the central challenges of the match. His movement inside the penalty area and ability to attack crosses can punish even small defensive mistakes.

Haaland’s movement and patience make him difficult to mark

Estève believes Haaland’s intelligence off the ball is one of the biggest reasons he is so difficult to defend against. Rather than constantly chasing possession, the striker often waits for the right moment to attack spaces created by his teammates.

The defender also highlighted how Manchester City’s attacking players can create opportunities through combinations in tight areas. He specifically mentioned Rayan Cherki, whose work in smaller spaces can help create openings for Haaland to exploit.

“I remember when I played against him, he waits, and they have other players like Rayan Cherki who play in the small spaces, so he tries to stay around but they have their habits. They can chip the ball to the far post, and he can come in aggressively with a big header.

“He’s not that active with the ball, but every time he does touch the ball, you have to be focused 100% because, you know, in one second, he can score. He’s a difficult player to mark.

“He’s a really good finisher and he adapts his game the whole time. So for me, he’s the best striker I’ve played against.”

Those observations underline the challenge facing Leipzig’s defence. Haaland can remain relatively quiet for periods before suddenly finding space and turning a single opportunity into a goal. Estève knows that losing concentration for even a moment could be costly.

His previous experience against City could help him understand the patterns of their attack, but stopping Haaland will require more than simply marking him closely. Leipzig must also limit the service reaching the striker and remain organised when City attack from wide positions.

Vincent Kompany and Martin Demichelis helped shape Estève’s development

Estève has worked under two former Manchester City players who understand the standards required to compete at the highest level of European football: Vincent Kompany and Martin Demichelis.

The French defender initially joined Burnley on loan in February 2024 and worked under Kompany for the remainder of that season. Kompany left Burnley that summer to become Bayern Munich manager, but Estève completed a permanent move and remained with the English club for two more seasons.

In June 2026, Demichelis took charge at RB Leipzig, giving Estève another opportunity to work under a former Manchester City centre-back. The defender has taken inspiration from both managers, particularly their competitive approach during training sessions.

Estève explained that their attitude in practice showed that their desire to compete had not disappeared despite their careers moving into management.

“They both have big histories in football, and you can see how serious they take it in the gym,” Estève said. “They play games in training, and you can see they are competitive. They don’t want to lose. They are both young coaches and still have so much energy.

“They are always early into training and leave really late. They are perfectionists but even in small games in training, you can see they are still hungry.”

According to Estève, both managers demand intensity and maintain high standards in their daily work. Their competitiveness during training has left a lasting impression on the defender, who sees those habits as an important part of preparing players for major European fixtures.

Working with Kompany and Demichelis has also given Estève an opportunity to learn from coaches who have experienced top-level football as defenders. Their influence could prove valuable as he continues adapting to life at Leipzig and aims to establish himself in the Champions League.

Estève hopes to make his Champions League debut against Manchester City

Estève has enjoyed a steady beginning to his career at RB Leipzig since arriving from Burnley for €25 million in July 2026. He has made four appearances in the Bundesliga but is still waiting for his first opportunity in the Champions League.

He has been an unused substitute in each of Leipzig’s three European matches so far. The trip to Manchester could offer him the chance to make his long-awaited debut in the competition, although his selection will depend on the coach’s decision.

For Estève, playing Champions League football has been a personal ambition since childhood. He also dreamed of competing in the Premier League and representing his national team.

“It was my dream when I was young: to play in the Premier League, to play Champions League football and to play for the national team.

“I just have to work hard, wait for my chance and try to be the best as I can. I received a little knock against Elversberg so I missed the last two games, but for this game, I should be okay. I just have to wait for my chance. I’m really happy at the club, with the team and with the coach. Whenever the coach needs me, I’ll be 100% ready.”

The defender’s recent injury setback meant he missed Leipzig’s last two matches after picking up a knock against Elversberg. However, he expects to be available for the Manchester City fixture and says he is ready whenever the coaching staff call on him.

A Champions League appearance at the Etihad would represent an important milestone in his career. Facing Haaland would make the occasion even more demanding, particularly given his previous experiences against the Premier League champions.

Maxime Estève wants to move past painful Manchester City memory

The match against Manchester City also carries personal significance for Estève because of what happened during his previous visit to the Etihad Stadium. While playing for Burnley in September 2025, he scored two own goals in a 5-1 defeat against City.

It was a difficult experience for the defender, but he said the support he received from then-Burnley manager Scott Parker and his teammates helped him put the incident into perspective.

“After the game [Burnley manager] Scott Parker said to me ‘Max, this is nothing. This is really, really nothing. It’s something that can happen to anybody.’ My teammates came to me and said ‘Max, this is nothing.’ It wasn’t my final game in football, and it was just a bad memory.”

Estève described the incident as a bad memory rather than something that would define his career. The encouragement from Parker and his teammates helped him move forward, and he now has the opportunity to return to the same stadium with a different club.

If selected against City, the Frenchman will have the chance to focus on defending against Haaland and helping Leipzig produce a positive result rather than allowing the previous defeat to dominate his thoughts.

RB Leipzig target Champions League progress and Bundesliga qualification

Beyond the individual challenge of facing Haaland, Estève is focused on helping Leipzig achieve their wider objectives this season. The club wants to progress to the next stage of the Champions League and compete for qualification to the competition again through their Bundesliga position.

Estève understands that Leipzig carry significant expectations because of their status, supporters and ambitions in German football. He says the team must approach every match carefully because there are no easy fixtures in either competition.

“But at Leipzig, look, the objective of the club is to get through to the next stage of the Champions League. We take it game by game and there are no easy games. And in Bundesliga the objective of the club is to qualify to the Champions League every season because it’s big club with big expectations and a big fanbase as well.”

The defender’s immediate priority is to earn his place in the starting lineup and help Leipzig deal with Manchester City’s attacking threat. His experience against Haaland, combined with the lessons learned from Kompany and Demichelis, could be useful if he gets the opportunity.

For Estève, the fixture represents more than another European match. It is a chance to make his Champions League debut, face one of the world’s most feared strikers and put a difficult memory from his Burnley days behind him.