Erling Haaland continues to soar at Manchester City and raised the bar on Tuesday with his five goals in one game, but manager Pep Guardiola was still disappointed – not with anything performance related but with the fact that the Hollywood star Julia Roberts came to Manchester but didn’t watch her team.
Haaland scored a record five goals in City’s 7-0 loss to Leipzig as premier league the giants burst into Champions League quarter-finals with an 8-1 aggregate victory.
But Guardiola’s mind was preoccupied with something else.
Oscar-winning actor Roberts, the town manager explained, is one of his three idols, along with Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. But on a visit to the UK, she chose to watch Manchester United rather than Guardiola City, who have won four Premier League titles in five years.
“She came in the period when we were better than United, in those four or five years,” he said. “And she went to visit Man United. She didn’t come to see us. That’s why it’s… even if I win the Champions League (it) won’t be compared to the fact that Julia Roberts came to Manchester and didn’t come to see us.
Guardiola’s comments provided a digression from Haaland’s goalscoring exploits on a night when he looked like the man to finally end City’s search for a maiden Champions League title.
Haaland scored a record five goals in City’s 7-0 loss to Leipzig as premier league the giants burst into Champions League quarter-finals with an 8-1 aggregate victory.
But Guardiola’s mind was preoccupied with something else.
Oscar-winning actor Roberts, the town manager explained, is one of his three idols, along with Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. But on a visit to the UK, she chose to watch Manchester United rather than Guardiola City, who have won four Premier League titles in five years.
“She came in the period when we were better than United, in those four or five years,” he said. “And she went to visit Man United. She didn’t come to see us. That’s why it’s… even if I win the Champions League (it) won’t be compared to the fact that Julia Roberts came to Manchester and didn’t come to see us.
Guardiola’s comments provided a digression from Haaland’s goalscoring exploits on a night when he looked like the man to finally end City’s search for a maiden Champions League title.
He’s a goalscoring machine who produced a stellar performance to propel City into the quarter-finals.
“I’m fuzzy in my head. I remember shooting but not thinking,” said Haaland after leveling Lionel Messi and Luiz Adriano in scoring five goals in a single Champions League game.
Haaland needed just 25 games to score 30 goals, surpassing the record held by former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, who hit the benchmark in 34.
At 22 years and 236 days, Haaland is also the youngest player to score 30 Champions League goals, beating Kylian Mbappé, who broke Messi’s record.
Haaland has now scored 39 goals this season in all competitions.
(With contributions from the agency)
