Can superstar striker Erling Haaland reach the heights of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo? Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola certainly believes he can.
Guardiola, who guided Messi during his rise at Barcelona from 2008 to 2012, sees parallels between Haaland and the two legendary forwards after Manchester City kicked off the English Premier League season with a 2-0 victory over Chelsea.
“He (Haaland) has the numbers for Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, who dominated the last decade,” Guardiola stated to reporters, as reported by ESPN. “In terms of statistics, he is at that level. Scoring 91 goals in 100 games in the Premier League is simply incredible.”
Haaland celebrated his 100th match for Manchester City by scoring the opening goal at Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge, marking the start of their quest for a fifth consecutive Premier League title. This goal also brought his tally to five in just three league openers since joining the club in 2022.
Guardiola praised Haaland’s fitness, noting that the 24-year-old striker is fully rejuvenated after a summer break, as Norway did not qualify for the 2024 Euros.
“The goal was magnificent,” Guardiola remarked.
Haaland put Manchester City ahead in the 18th minute, and former Chelsea player Mateo Kovacic sealed the deal with a strike from outside the box in the 84th minute, presenting a tough debut for Chelsea’s new coach, Enzo Maresca, who previously served as Guardiola’s assistant.
Despite Guardiola’s earlier comments that “the motivation to win the Premier League is not there for me” at this point in the season, Manchester City remains the favorite to clinch the title for the fifth time in a row.
“It will be in the last month,” Guardiola clarified, hinting at the importance of the season’s closing stages.
