Erling Haaland's goal-scoring drive also surprises Pep Guardiola. The Manchester City manager admitted this before the Champions League match against Inter Milan. "He feels better than last season."
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Manchester City begins their Champions League campaign on Wednesday with a highly anticipated rematch against Inter Milan, a repeat of the 2022/23 season final where City secured a historic treble.
Playing at home at the Etihad Stadium, City will be looking to kick off their European title defense on a strong note. The spotlight is firmly on Erling Haaland, who has made an explosive start to the season, continuing his goal-scoring spree that has stunned fans and even his own manager, Pep Guardiola.
Haaland’s impressive form has seen him score nine goals in just the first four Premier League matches, once again proving why he's considered one of the most dangerous strikers in world football. His lethal finishing ability and physical dominance have been key to City’s early success this season. During a pre-match press conference, Guardiola expressed his amazement at Haaland’s consistency, humorously comparing his own modest goal-scoring record during his playing days. "Do you know why I’m surprised? I played professional football for eleven years and only scored eleven goals in total," Guardiola joked.
While Haaland’s ability to find the back of the net has been nothing short of extraordinary, Guardiola insists that there’s no pressure for the Norwegian to push for improvement. "If he scores 99 goals in the next hundred matches, that’s perfectly fine with me," Guardiola said. "He doesn’t need to improve. I’ll be more than satisfied if he keeps delivering at this rate." For City, Haaland’s consistency in front of goal is crucial, especially as they aim to dominate both domestically and in Europe.
One of the key factors behind Haaland's incredible run of form this season, according to Guardiola, is his improved physical condition. Last year, after his transfer from Borussia Dortmund, Haaland had to manage recurring muscle issues that hindered his performance during certain stretches of the season. Despite that, he still finished with a staggering goal tally, breaking multiple records along the way. Guardiola noted that those physical problems are now behind him. "He feels better than last season. When he came from Dortmund, he had some muscle problems, which he struggled with a little. But that’s gone now," the City boss explained.
Guardiola remains cautiously optimistic about maintaining Haaland’s fitness, especially given the demanding fixture schedule. "We have a match every three or four days, and as I’ve said before about Kevin De Bruyne, you never know how things will look in one, two, or three months. We have to take things step by step." De Bruyne, one of City’s other star players, has been sidelined with injury, making Haaland's form even more essential as the team looks to navigate this challenging period.
City will be keen to secure all three points in their opening Champions League match, with Inter Milan looking to avenge their defeat in the final last season. Kickoff is set for 9:00 PM on Wednesday, with fans eagerly awaiting what promises to be an exciting clash between two European heavyweights. Haaland, as always, will be central to City’s hopes as they seek to start their campaign in style.
Updated: 02:39, 17 Sep 2024
