Manchester City’s new striker Erling Haaland can make the difference in the club’s bid to win the Champions League for the first time, midfielder Ilkay Gundogan said on Tuesday, as the pair prepare to face their former club Borussia Dortmund.
Manchester City has never won the most prominent European club championship and lost to defending champion Real Madrid in the semi-finals last season, following it finished second once morest Chelsea in the final of the 2020-2021 season.
Speaking to reporters ahead of Dortmund’s visit to the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday, Gundogan said Haaland’s brilliant start to his career in England might translate into success in Europe.
“We hope so,” Gundogan said. “This year we have a suitable and honest striker who will help us a lot. Winning the Champions League is unbelievable.”
“It is not easy to play in this competition and sometimes small details can determine the outcome.”
Haaland has been shining since joining City during the last transfer period, scoring 12 goals in all competitions so far, including two goals in his first European appearance with City in a 4-0 victory over Seville in his first match to take the team at the top of Group G.
“The numbers speak for themselves. I think the club has signed a great player. He did well on the pitch, but his personality, determination and approach outside (he was also impressive) from such a young guy.
“He is very mature and his future is very bright. We are both really looking forward to the match once morest our former team.”
City coach Pep Guardiola said that a former Dortmund player (Manuel Akanji) was close to playing the match.
“They (Dortmund) know these players (Haaland and Akanji) more than I know the Dortmund players, that’s for sure. They’ve been there for a few years. They can benefit from that,” Guardiola said.
“We’ll see tomorrow if that’s an advantage. But they know the Dortmund players too.”
Guardiola said Aymeric Laporte trained for the first time following undergoing knee surgery, while fellow defender Kyle Walker was absent from training.
