As Manchester City players rallied around their colleague Erling Haaland, the wide smile of the Norwegian star gave Spanish coach Pep Guardiola renewed faith that his brilliant striker was still happy at the club ahead of Tuesday’s decisive Champions League match against RB Leipzig.
When Haaland scored a late penalty to seal Citizens’ 1-0 Premier League victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday, he responded with a jubilant glide on the rain-soaked Selhurst Park pitch.
Amid reports that French Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid are planning to make two bold offers for Haaland next season, the 22-year-old’s reaction to his winning goal was a positive sign for Guardiola.
Haaland scored 28 goals in the English Premier League, and 34 goals in various competitions, since his arrival to the English club from Borussia Dortmund last May.
And the 22-year-old continues his endeavors to break the record for the number of goals scored in one season in the “Premier League”, which is registered in the names of Alan Shearer and Andy Cole, who scored 34 goals for Blackburn and Newcastle, respectively.
Manchester City has never won the title of the main continental competition, and it must beat Leipzig, with whom it drew 1-1 in the first leg of the round of 16 in Germany, to qualify for the quarter-finals.
Guardiola will need Haaland at his best, and stressed that there is no reason to question the striker’s commitment to the club’s project.
Guardiola said the way he celebrates his goals and the goals of his colleagues shows how happy he is here and how we support him and his personality.
He added, “This man does not score one or two goals, and people start criticizing him. He is not the player he was! He is always present and the numbers speak for themselves.
And the Spanish coach added that one of the biggest traits that I discovered through knowing him and working together, is the fact that he can miss a first and second chance, but he does not get frustrated or sad.
And he added, “He thinks positively, he knows that he will have the opportunity, he knows that he will be there. This is a wonderful trait as a footballer.
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