With five goals in the round of 16 second leg, Erling Haaland shot RB Leipzig almost single-handedly out of the Champions League. With that, the striker from Manchester City also ended the absurd discussion about his qualities.
Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola said something remarkable about his striker Erling Haaland ahead of the Champions League round of 16 second leg against RB Leipzig. According to the Spanish coach, the Norwegian could be better integrated into his team’s game. He doesn’t like it when a player just stands in the box “to score goals”said Guardiola.
In addition, Haaland must “to be involved and active in the game”. According to Guardiola, the 22-year-old has “improved a little”but can “get even better”. In any case, there was recently an absurd discussion on the island about the qualities of the striker. He actually had to put up with the question in the media as to whether he was making Manchester City stronger or weaker.
Haaland’s quota – 39 goals in 36 games
The answer was not long in coming. On Tuesday (03/14/2022) Haaland shot the Bundesliga club from Saxony almost single-handedly from the premier class. The former Dortmund player scored five goals in the 7-0 (3-0) win.
Haaland scored with a hat trick before the break (22nd/hand penalty, 24th, 45th + 2). After Ilkay Gündogan scored the fourth goal after the break (49th), Haaland continued his goal show with two more goals (54th and 57th) before Kevin De Bruyne (90th + 2) scored the final score.
The blond boy currently has 39 goals in 36 competitive games. He has scored ten goals this season in the premier class, plus 28 goals in the Premier League and one in the cup. This is already a club record for a season. And the goals record in the league, set by Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah with 32 goals in the 2017/18 season, is shaky.
More Champions League goals than Giggs, Kakà and Co.
Haaland has already scored 33 goals in just four seasons in the Champions League. On Tuesday he overtook the likes of Arjen Robben, Kaká, Wayne Rooney, Samuel Eto’o, Patrick Kluivert and Ryan Giggs on the ‘all-time top scorers’ list. He had previously overtaken Luis Suárez and Luis Figo.
Five goals in just one Champions League game – only Lionel Messi (2012 in FC Barcelona’s 7-1 win against Bayer Leverkusen) and Luiz Adriano in the jersey of Shakhtar Donetsk (2014 in 7-0 at BATE Borisov) had achieved that.
Guardiola prevents double hat-trick
Guardiola took down the elemental force from Norway in the 63rd minute, ending the chance for the sixth goal and the sole record. “When I went down I said to him: I would like to do a double hat-trick, but what can you do?”, said Haaland afterwards. But he wasn’t angry. “It’s a big night. I love playing in the Champions League. Five goals, won 7-0 – I’m so happy”Haaland rejoiced.
Pep Guardiola (r) can’t press his goalscorer hard enough.
“It’s a fantastic feeling, I’m really proud and happy”said the Norwegian and snatched the ball from the referee as a trophy for an unforgettable evening at the City Stadium, where there were chants of “Haaland, Haaland” after each of his goals and when he was substituted on.
Orban: “He was always there”
The people of Leipzig were powerless against Haaland. “He’s really good in front of goal, no matter what, he’s always there. He has the feel and feel of where the ball is going.”said Emil Forsberg.
RB defense chief Willi Orban went even further: “He was always there where the ball fell, so you kind of have to congratulate him that the law of attraction was on his side today. The boy is a special guy.”
Guardiola: “Incredible guy”
And Guardiola? The joked after the game it would be “boring”if Haaland reached the milestone of six goals in a Champions League game at the age of 22. So he replaced it.
Then the Catalan probably also remembered his criticism of Haaland and tried it with praise: “Erling was great. Five in 60 minutes. Incredible guy, huge talent. Power, mentality, he’s a serial winner. Really good.”