Manchester City machine-man Erling Haaland fit enter Champions League history books on Tuesday night without even kicking ball when Bayer Leverkusen show for Etihad Stadium.
Di Norwegian and him teammates get point to prove after Newcastle beat dem 2-1 for weekend Premier League match. Na just di third time this season wey Haaland no score for any competition — di other blanks na against Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur.
But for Champions League this season, di 25-year-old don dey brutal — five goals in four matches against Borussia Dortmund, Monaco, Villarreal and Napoli. Even though Omar Marmoush dey around, Haaland still expected to lead line for City against Leverkusen.
And once Pep Guardiola list am inside starting XI, history go happen — even if he no kick ball.
Haaland Go Break UCL Record Just by Starting
As long as Haaland start on Tuesday night, he go officially break di record for most goals scored inside a player’s first 50 Champions League starts.
Haaland don already score 50 goals inside him first 49 UCL starts — nobody don ever do am before. Meaning say he no even need touch ball or play up to one minute. As long as he dey lineup at kickoff, record don scatter.
On top that, he don score four goals as substitute too. Altogether, na 54 goals he don get for just 52 Champions League appearances for Man City, Red Bull Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund.
Haaland currently dey 9th for Champions League all-time scoring list. Two more goals go tie am with Ruud van Nistelrooy (56), and three more go match Thomas Muller (57).
With him ridiculous average of 1.03 goals per UCL game, if he keep pace, he go need around 145 matches to break Cristiano Ronaldo all-time record of 140 goals, and 133 matches to match Lionel Messi 129 goals.
But for active players, Haaland still dey behind Kylian Mbappe (60 goals in 91 games) and Robert Lewandowski (105 goals in 136 games).
Pep Guardiola Self Go Enter Exclusive Champions League Coaching Club
No be only Haaland dey chase history. Pep Guardiola too go unlock new milestone regardless of wetin happen for Tuesday match.
After people celebrate him 1,000th career match earlier this month, Pep now dey set to manage him 100th Champions League match for Manchester City.
This achievement go make am just the third manager ever to coach 100 European Cup/Champions League games with an English club — behind Sir Alex Ferguson (190 for Man United) and Arsene Wenger (177 for Arsenal).
In total, Guardiola don manage 183 Champions League matches — only Alex Ferguson and Carlo Ancelotti (218) get more. And him 115 UCL wins dey just nine behind Ancelotti’s record 124.
