Haaland Reveals Desire for Double Hat-Trick After Scoring Five Against RB Leipzig

 

By Nurat Uthman

Erling Haaland has revealed that he told Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola when he was being substituted that he would have loved to score a double hat-trick against RB Leipzig.

Haaland’s five-goal masterclass fired Man City into the Champions League quarter-finals as they dismantled Leipzig in a 7-0 rout on Tuesday night on an 8-1 aggregate victory.

The striker nabbed a first-half hat-trick, including two goals in two minutes, before adding another two after the restart in a tour-de-force performance at the Etihad Stadium.

All five of Haaland’s goals were netted before the hour mark including a first-half hat-trick but the Norwegian was unable to complete an unprecedented double hat-trick as Guardiola opted to replace the striker in the 63rd minute.

Speaking to reporters, via mancity.com, after an extraordinary night on the blue side of Manchester, Haaland said: “It’s a big night. First of all to play in the Champions League, I’m proud to play in it. I love this competition as everyone knows. Five goals and to win 7-0 at home, I’m so happy.

“I’m a bit blurry in my head so I don’t remember them all, I was just shooting! I was so tired as well after the celebrations.

“I think after scoring five goals, I have to say scoring goals [is my biggest strength]. A lot of goals today I did not think, I was just doing it.

“Same with every goal, I didn’t think. A lot of it is being quick in the mind and putting it where the keeper is not. A lot of it is in the head I think.

“I told him [Pep Guardiola] when I went off, I’d love to score a double hat-trick – but what can I do!”

The Norwegian has increased his remarkable goal tally in the 2022-23 campaign to 39 after just 36 matches across all competitions, following his five-star performance at the Etihad Stadium.

Haaland has now become the club’s all-time record goalscorer in a single season, breaking a 94-year record held by Tommy Johnson who scored 38 goals in the 1928-29 campaign.