Goal dry up for Haaland but Dortmund coach happy with contribution

(Reuters) - Borussia Dortmund coach Edin Terzic says Erling Haaland is making a big contribution to the team even when he fails to score but does not expect the Norway international's dry spell to continue for long.

Haaland has not scored in his last seven games for club and country, including two league and two Champions League games for Dortmund and three World Cup qualifiers with Norway last month.

The last time he found the net was in a 2-2 draw with Cologne in the Bundesliga on March 20, when he scored both Dortmund's goals.

The 20-year-old is the most sought after talent in the European game and has been linked with a move to Manchester City and their local rivals Manchester United as well as Spanish sides Real Madrid and Barcelona.

His lack of goals has come at the worst possible time for Dortmund, who were knocked out of the Champions League quarter-finals by Manchester City on Wednesday and are losing ground in the race for a top-four spot in the Bundesliga.

"Everybody is used to thinking that he's going to score for fun and in every game but he's a human," Terzic said of Haaland, who has 21 league goals this season.

"There will be always times where you won't score but this is not our problem. He's playing really well.

"We are used to thinking that he has the last touch before the goal, but for the recent games he was very important for us in shielding the ball, running in behind and being the threat.

"If he works hard like he's doing all day long in training, it won't take long for him to be on the scoresheet again."

Dortmund host Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga on Sunday.

(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)