Manchester City’s Norwegian bombardier Erling Haaland thrashed RB Leipzig in the Champions League round of 16 with 5 goals in 57 minutes in the second leg. Who knows what might have happened next if the Norwegian had not been stopped… by his own coach, Pep Guardiola! After scoring a penta-trick by the Norwegian, Guardiola took pity on Leipzig and Champions League records – he replaced Haaland in the 63rd minute, replacing him with Argentinian Julian Alvarez.
Haaland joined Messi and Luis Adriano in the Champions League
In the Champions League, only two players managed to score 5 goals in one match before.
He scored the first penta-trick in the history of the Champions League Lionel Messi in 2012, in the rematch of the 1/8 finals once morest Bayern Munich (7:1). Earlier in the European Cup, the Dane might boast of such an achievement Soren Lerby from Ajax Amsterdam, who also scored 5 times in the round of 16 in 1980 once morest Omonia Nicosia (10:0).
Four of the five goals were scored by the Brazilian louis adriano in just 16 minutes (from 28 to 44 minutes – the fastest poker in the history of the Champions League) of Shakhtar Donetsk’s away game once morest BATE Borisov (7:0) in the group stage in 2014. Luis Adriano scored the first and fifth goals from the penalty spot.
“When I shoot, I hardly think” – Haaland at the peak of spontaneity
The superhero of the day, and in fact of the entire edition of the Champions League, smiling from ear to ear, Haaland gave a post-match interview:
“I’m very proud to play in the Champions League. I really like these games, as you all know. Five goals, a 7-0 home win – I’m very happy.
