Guardiola explains Haaland’s substitution after the Norwegian striker’s fifth goal against RB Leipzig.
Having completed his penta-trick in the 57th minute of City’s Champions League win the previous day (7-0), Erling gives up his place at the Etihad to Julian Alvarez in the 63rd minute.
Guardiola jokes that he hastily removed Holand to prevent him scoring another goal, thus making it a double hat-trick. Josep is delighted with the way Erling, who has already scored 39 times this season, was involved in the scoring in this match.
“Five goals. The numbers, the problem is every time he doesn’t score two or three, he will be criticised. His mood is a gift to all of us, huge competitor. He scored five, had 30-35 ball contacts, that’s what we’re looking at.
I know Haaland equalled Leo Messi’s record, of course I remember! But it’s incredible he did it in 60 minutes
Erling is young… he has an incentive of beating Messi’s record in the future. If he’d have achieved that at 22, he would be bored in his future!
If he would have achieved that at 22 years-old, he would be bored in his future!” — says Guardiola.
So Guardiola explains Haaland’s substitution on cityzensworld.com.