Young Boys 1-3 Man City: “Erling Haaland isn’t going anywhere; people want to see him miss,” asserts Pep Guardiola
In a curious twist to Manchester City’s most triumphant era in European competitions, their frontline striker, Erling Haaland, went through an unexpected dry spell.
Before City’s 3-1 thrashing of Young Boys on a rain-drenched Wednesday evening in Bern, Haaland had been surprisingly quiet, not finding the net in five consecutive Champions League outings, a streak dating back to the previous season.
However, the stars aligned for City in Switzerland. After an elegant chip from Meschack Elia leveled the score, Haaland seemed to find his long-lost mojo.
Even before Haaland’s rediscovery, City were a team no one wanted to face in the Champions League. Now, with Haaland back in form, they’re a squad that inspires nightmares in opponents.
Guardiola believes that many outside the Manchester City camp have been secretly hoping for the young Norwegian’s cold streak to continue. “The world seems to want him to miss, but let me tell you, the guy’s a natural-born goal machine,” Guardiola revealed to TNT Sports.
In his first season with City, Haaland was nothing short of explosive, netting 52 goals in 53 matches and spearheading the team’s charge to a Treble, including a historic Champions League title. This season, however, he had uncharacteristically missed the mark against Red Star Belgrade and RB Leipzig in City’s first two Group G encounters, coinciding with injuries to key midfielders like Kevin de Bruyne and the departure of Ilkay Gundogan to Barcelona.
During the first half against Young Boys, Haaland appeared visibly frustrated, squandering a one-on-one chance at the 23rd minute mark. Yet, the skies seemed to part for him—figuratively, not literally, it was still pouring—when Rodri was fouled inside the box at the 67-minute mark. Haaland coolly converted the ensuing penalty, appearing to regain his former glory.
“This young man will score as long as he’s got boots on,” Guardiola emphasized. “With providers like De Bruyne and Gundogan, he’s a deadly force. Trust me, Haaland will find the back of the net until he hangs up his cleats.”
The penalty ended Haaland’s 543-minute goalless drought in the Champions League, a streak that began after he scored against Bayern Munich in last season’s quarter-finals. Despite this temporary setback, Haaland’s stats remain staggering, particularly his goal-to-game ratio.
His scoring prowess was on full display again in the waning minutes in Switzerland, where he secured City’s victory with a brilliant strike from the edge of the box. This feat brought his Champions League tally to an astonishing 37 goals in 33 matches.
At the young age of 23 years and 96 days, Haaland shattered the record for youngest player to reach this number of Champions League goals—a record formerly held by Kylian Mbappe, who was 199 days older when he reached the milestone.
So even when Haaland is not at his celestial best, he’s still better than most mortals, a point echoed by his teammate Rico Lewis. “People forget that he’s human, just like any other striker. What he achieved last year speaks volumes,” Lewis told TNT Sports.
Thanks to Haaland’s resurgence, City has now won five successive Champions League matches, a feat they haven’t accomplished since May 2021 when they won seven in a row. Currently unbeaten in their last 16 Champions League games—with 10 wins and six draws—they’re closing in on the record for longest unbeaten streak by an English team in the competition, a record held by Manchester United between 2007 and 2009.
With Haaland back in goal-scoring form, it would be unwise to bet against City’s chances of setting new records in the near future.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Erling Haaland
What was the final score of the Manchester City vs Young Boys match?
The final score was 3-1 in favor of Manchester City.
How many Champions League goals has Erling Haaland scored in total?
As of the match against Young Boys, Erling Haaland has scored 37 goals in 33 Champions League games.
Was this Erling Haaland’s first goal after a drought in the Champions League?
Yes, Haaland had not scored in five previous Champions League matches before netting a penalty in this game against Young Boys.
What record did Erling Haaland break with his goal-scoring feat?
He became the youngest player to score 37 Champions League goals, breaking the record previously held by Kylian Mbappe.
What did Pep Guardiola say about Erling Haaland after the match?
Pep Guardiola defended Haaland against critics, stating that Haaland will “score as long as he’s got boots on.”
How many games has Manchester City been unbeaten in the Champions League?
Manchester City has gone 16 matches without defeat in the Champions League, comprising 10 wins and 6 draws.
Who provided the assist for Meschack Elia’s goal for Young Boys?
The text does not provide information on who assisted Meschack Elia’s goal.
How many consecutive Champions League wins does this make for City?
This makes it five consecutive Champions League wins for Manchester City.
Who are the key midfielders missing from Manchester City’s lineup?
Kevin de Bruyne was out due to injury, and Ilkay Gundogan has transferred to Barcelona.
Is this Manchester City’s longest unbeaten run in the Champions League?
No, Manchester City had a longer winning streak in May 2021 when they won seven matches in a row in the Champions League.
More about Erling Haaland
- Manchester City’s Official Website
- UEFA Champions League Statistics
- Pep Guardiola’s Post-Match Interview on TNT Sports
- Erling Haaland’s Scoring Records
- Kevin de Bruyne Injury Updates
- Ilkay Gundogan’s Transfer to Barcelona
- Young Boys vs Manchester City Match Summary
- Champions League Unbeaten Runs in History
- Kylian Mbappe’s Previous Record
- Manchester United’s Longest Unbeaten Streak in Champions League
10 comments
Guardiola’s comment is spot on. People do want to see Haaland fail, which is messed up. The guy’s young and already a legend.
Did anyone else notice that Haaland’s performance improved after Rodri got fouled? Kinda like the universe lined up just for him.
Man U’s record still stands eh? Would love to see how City stacks up by the end of the season.
543 minutes without a goal and still breaks records? Only Haaland could pull that off. Talk about setting the bar high.
Missing De Bruyne and Gundogan and still pulling this off? City’s got depth, man, serious depth.
37 goals in 33 games, thats unreal! He’s still got a long way to go but who wouldn’t want to bet on this kid.
Crazy that people even doubt Haaland. Man’s a machine! And Guardiola knows it, you can tell he has mad faith in him.
Still cant believe we got Gundogan and City’s doing fine without him. They got layers of talent, it’s scary.
Wow, Haaland’s back in the game, huh? Bout time, the guy was too good to keep missing. Guardiola must be breathing easier.
Haaland’s not just breaking records, he’s smashing ’em. And he’s just 23! What were we doin at 23, right? lol.