Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola praised star striker Erling Haaland, who bagged a brace against Sparta Prague on Wednesday, leading his team to a convincing 5-0 victory. The win set a new Champions League record for the longest unbeaten run, surpassing Manchester United’s 25-game streak from 2007 to 2009.
The result was hardly unexpected given City’s dominance in the opening minutes, with Phil Foden scoring a goal inside three minutes, following a skillful run and finish. Guardiola’s side continued to solidify their grip on the match, and the Czech opponents were unable to breach their defense.
The interval seemed to provide little reprieve for Sparta Prague, as City’s second-half improvement was matched by their opponents’ second-half desperation. Haaland’s acrobatic goal in the 71st minute was a testament to his remarkable skills, leaving even his teammates in awe. “It’s unbelievable,” Guardiola said. “He’s so tall and so flexible. I like it, he has this sense of humor. He scored a similar one against Dortmund a few years ago. I don’t know which one is more difficult, you’ll have to ask him.”
As for Haaland’s first goal, the City manager couldn’t hide his admiration: “It’s incredible. All the time he understands the decisions, he’s so generous with the team. It’s an incredible joy to have him and Manchester City have this incredible player.” Guardiola then turned to the media, saying, “I did not expect Sparta Prague to defend so deep, but the moment we broke the game with 2-0, it was better.”
Bernardo Silva, one of Haaland’s teammates, posted on Twitter, “Shook!” as he watched the striker’s aerial acrobatics. Meanwhile, John Stones, who scored his second consecutive goal, received praise from his manager, who jokingly suggested playing him as a striker in the future.
City’s other goal came from Matheus Nunes, but perhaps the most impressive performance came from midfielder Phil Foden, who spoke to TNT Sports after the match: “It was important to get the win tonight. We had to remain patient and in the second half, we broke them down more and finished our chances.” Foden, who has faced skepticism this season, emphasized his desire to improve: “I’m always putting pressure on myself to get better and push myself. The aim is to try and hit what I hit last year. And for the team, we want to show that we’re still hungry for trophies.”
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