Erling Haaland scores five goals to reach CL quarterfinals

• Erling Haaland scores five goals to reach the CL quarterfinals.
• Pep Guardiola admitted prior to Tuesday’s second leg of the last 16.
• Haaland has already changed City’s history in just 35 games.

Erling Haaland scored five goals as Manchester City defeated RB Leipzig 7-0 to reach the Champions League quarterfinals for the sixth year in a row. However, Europe was put on notice that this time might be different for the Premier League champions.

Despite City’s recent dominance of the Premier League, Pep Guardiola admitted prior to Tuesday’s second leg of the last 16 that his tenure at City will be defined by winning or losing the Champions League.

The city still hasn’t won a European championship seven years after Guardiola took over.

To win the race to sign Haaland from Borussia Dortmund for a bargain £51 million ($62 million) last summer thanks to the Norwegian’s buyout clause, they pushed the boat out on agents’ fees and wages.

By scoring 39 goals in a single season, Haaland has already changed City’s history in just 35 games.

On Tuesday, Haaland’s five goals equaled the record set by Lionel Messi and Luiz Adriano for the most goals scored in a Champions League game.

With 32 appearances in just 25 games, the 22-year-old also became the youngest player to reach 30 in Europe’s premier club competition.

Haaland said,”I was so tired after my celebrations, my super strength is scoring goals.”

When it matters most in the Champions League’s final stages, City have not always possessed that clinical edge.

By the slimmest of margins, Guardiola’s European exits have all been marred by missed chances.

RB Leipzig boss Marco Rose said, “He was so hungry,”

“He scored goals with the foot, with the head, he won second balls, he made deep runs. It all looked really simple tonight. It was a special night for him.”

If Guardiola hadn’t taken Haaland off the field with 25 minutes left, it might have been even more special.

Haaland said, “I told him I would love to score a double hat-trick, but what can I do?”

In response, Guardiola joked that his star striker’s life “would be boring” if he broke every record before turning 23.

However, one thing that both the player and the manager share is the desire to win the European championship.

In spite of Haaland’s impressive statistics, his first season in England has not been without its difficulties.

In defeats to Manchester United and Tottenham in the Premier League, he has occasionally appeared irritated as runs from behind went unnoticed by his teammates.

However, Guardiola has also insisted that Haaland adapt to City’s style by developing into an all-around striker who is equally adept at linking the play and executing predatory finishes inside the box.

Guardiola said, “Today he scored five goals and I think he had 30 or 35 ball contacts. This is what we were looking for because we had the feeling when you are involved in the game defensively, offensively, when the ball comes to score a goal, you are more precise,”

“He can do it, but it is difficult to score goals when you don´t touch the ball for 40 or 50 minutes.

“Sometimes it´s his fault because sometimes he doesn´t move… but the other (times) it is our fault where we didn´t find him.”

City’s domestic and international rivals are concerned that those minor issues may have been resolved in time for the season’s final and most crucial three months.

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