Pep Guardiola Compares Erling Haaland’s Scoring Prowess to Messi and Ronaldo After 100th Appearance

Haaland’s Goal Secures Manchester City Victory Against Chelsea, Drawing Praise from Guardiola

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola heaped praise on Erling Haaland after the star striker marked his 100th appearance for the club by scoring in a 2-0 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Haaland’s goal, which came in the 18th minute, brought his tally to an astounding 91 goals for City, prompting Guardiola to compare his scoring numbers to those of football legends Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Haaland’s goal, a deft chip over Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez, ensured that the 24-year-old scored on the opening weekend of the Premier League for the third consecutive season. While Haaland admitted that he was “not in the perfect state,” Guardiola’s post-match comments highlighted the high regard in which he holds the Norwegian forward.

“His numbers are like [Lionel] Messi and [Cristiano] Ronaldo, who dominated everything in the last decade,” Guardiola said. “To do that in this country is unbelievable.”

Haaland has quickly established himself as one of the Premier League’s most prolific goal-scorers, securing the Golden Boot in each of the last two seasons and boasting the highest minutes-per-goal ratio in Premier League history. According to BBC Sport, Haaland needed just 48 league matches to reach 50 goals, a feat that took him 17 games fewer than the previous record-holder, Andy Cole.

Guardiola, now in his ninth season with Manchester City, also reflected on the team’s overall performance, expressing pride in leading such a talented group.

“It’s an honor to be in charge of these guys,” he told Sky Sports. “We know each other well, and while there are always areas to improve, it’s how we handle the bad moments that define us as a team.”

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With the new season underway, Guardiola emphasized the importance of maintaining the mentality of champions, especially in challenging situations. “If you are the best team in England for 38 games, you are going to defend the crown,” he said. “We have to behave like a champion team, especially in the bad moments.”

Haaland’s early-season form and Guardiola’s confidence in his squad set the stage for another promising campaign as Manchester City looks to defend their Premier League title.

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