RB Leipzig defender Maxime Esteve is targeting an appearance on the elite European stage as he hopes to be handed his Champions League debut. However, the prospect of taking to the field in the competition also sets up an emotionally charged reunion with Manchester City and forward Erling Haaland—an encounter that inevitably brings back painful memories from his previous trip to the Etihad Stadium.
For Esteve, any reunion with Manchester City serves as a stark reminder of an exceptionally difficult outing. While playing at the Etihad Stadium last year, the defender endured a nightmarish personal display when he scored two own goals. Having twice deflected the ball into his own net in the very same match, the venue remains firmly tied to bad memories that he is now eager to overcome.
Given the frustrating nature of that past showing against City, Esteve has understandably chosen not to highlight the two own goals to the rest of the dressing room at RB Leipzig. The defender has not actively advertised his past misfortune at the Etihad Stadium to his new teammates since linking up with the squad, preferring to keep the details of that difficult contest quiet.
Instead of dwelling heavily on the past, Esteve has met the memory with lighthearted humor. "Maybe they don't even know," he joked when discussing whether his new teammates were conscious of the two own goals he conceded last year. As he looks ahead to the reunion with Haaland and City, Esteve will be determined to make his hoped-for Champions League debut a far more positive experience.