Erling Haaland has scored goals at a ferocious pace in the Premier League and the Champions League.
Manchester City will face FC Copenhagen today in the opening leg of the quarterfinals of the Champions League. The reigning champion of the league, City, is the overwhelming favorite, and goals are expected above all from the Norwegian star From Erling Braut Haaland.
Haaland has scored goals at a ferocious pace throughout his career, including in City’s shirt. However, he has also felt pressure. Now he has talked about them on City’s podcast. Haaland moved to City from Dortmund last season.
– The team had won the Premier League in the previous two seasons, so there was already pressure. We were behind Arsenal for 247 or 249 days so that added pressure. If we hadn’t won, it would have been “you came and ruined everything,” Haaland said.
However, the season went great for City. The championship trophy came in both the Premier League, the FA Cup and the Champions League.
– It was unreal to win the treble in my first season, Haaland said.
City manager Pep Guardiola praised Haaland’s mental strength In an interview with the Norwegian public broadcasting company NRK.
– He joined a team that had won two Premier League titles. But he adjusted really well. We have an amazing group that welcomes new players in a good way. They will be part of the group in one day, Guardiola said.
– He was not given pressure to score a lot of goals. He was told to do what he can and the results will come naturally. And he handled the situation perfectly,” Guardiola said.
Also a teammate Nathan Ake praised Haaland’s mental strength.
– If he sometimes misses a goal, it doesn’t seem to affect him. He tries again with the same confidence. That sets him apart from others, Ake told NRK.
Haaland recently returned to the field after an injury and scored his first goals since November against Everton on Saturday. In the Champions League, the Norwegian has scored an incredible 40 goals in 35 matches. The pace is harder than With Lionel Messi and With Cristiano Ronaldo.
Copenhagen’s defenders could have a busy night today.