Erling Haaland says he is “not stressed” about his mini-goal drought ahead of Saturday’s Champions League final against Inter Milan after already scoring 52 in his first season at Manchester City.
The Norwegian smashed the Premier League record for goals in a single campaign, with 36, and has helped take City to within one game of a historic treble after also lifting the FA Cup.
But a four-game scoreless streak is the longest of Haaland’s City career to date, and he has netted just once in his past seven matches.
“You can think of it as one goal in seven games or 52 goals in 52 games and eight assists, I think (he has nine),” said Haaland. “You can think of it in both ways. I’m not stressed. I feel really good.
“I didn’t expect to score this many goals, but again, I could have scored more. I’ve been missing a lot of chances, so I could have scored more. That’s the truth.”
Manchester City’s Erling Haaland shows five with his hand after he scored his 5th goal, the 6-0, during the Champions League round of 16 second leg match between Manchester City and RB Leipzig at the Etihad stadium in Manchester, England, Tuesday, March 14, 2023. | Photo Credit: AP Photo
City was already the dominant domestic force in English football before Haaland arrived from Borussia Dortmund last year.
However, the English champion is still to conquer Europe, and his signing was seen as the final piece in the jigsaw to deliver Champions League glory.
“Of course, I feel pressure. I would lie if I said I didn’t,” the 22-year-old said.
“You say it yourself and it’s true -- they won the Premier League without me, they won every trophy without me.
“So I’m here to try to do a thing that the club has never done before and I’ll do my best.”
City is the favourite to get the better of the Italian giants in Istanbul and become just the second side to do the treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in the same season.
Pep Guardiola’s men became the first team to win the English domestic treble of the Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup four years ago.
And Haaland believes it is little surprise that City are on the cusp of emulating the achievement of Manchester United, who won the treble in 1998/99.
“If you’d said this scenario before the season I wouldn’t think of it, of course,” said the Norwegian.
“But, again, when you look at the team, how close they’ve been with every single trophy every single season it’s not like it’s been not possible.
“We have been believing in ourselves ever since I came here. Just one game left.”
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