Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said people want Erling Haaland to fail after the striker ended his goal drought in the team’s Champions League win at Young Boys on Wednesday.
The 23-year-old scored for the first time in six Champions League games with his double helping City secure a 3-1 win over the Swiss club.
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Haaland, who rewrote several scoring records last season, added another one on Wednesday, breaking Kylian Mbappé‘s mark as the youngest player to score 37 Champions League goals. The Norway international achieved the feat in 33 games.
Guardiola defended his striker from criticism and warned that Haaland will continue to score goals throughout the rest of his career.
“It is important to have the chances, the people want him to fail,” Guardiola told TNT Sports after the match.
“I am sorry, but this guy will score goals all his life. With the chances he is an incredible threat.
“The players need the ability to find the pass like Kevin de Bruyne and Ilkay Gündogan. But he is going to score until the last day he plays football.”
The Premier League champions maintained their 100% winning record in Group G with three victories, despite their pregame concerns about playing on the slick artificial turf at rain-lashed Wankdorf Stadium.
City can clinch their spot in the knockout stage when they play Young Boys again, this time at home, on Nov. 7.
Guardiola’s side return to league action when they travel to Old Trafford to face Manchester United in the derby on Sunday.
Information from Reuters was included in this report.