Erling Haaland has revealed he told Pep Guardiola he wanted to score a double hat-trick after being taken off on five goals against RB Leipzig.
It was a remarkable evening for Manchester City as they destroyed the German side 7-0 to sail into the quarter-finals of the Champions League courtesy of an aggregate 8-1 win. It looked as though it may be a tricky tie before the match but Haaland got his first from the penalty spot after 22 minutes and had completed his hat-trick before the break.
The Norwegian sensation would smash another two in before he was eventually taken off around the hour mark to Leipzig's relief. While embracing Guardiola upon his departure, Haaland couldn't help but comment on his wish to get yet another goal to his name.
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When it was put to him by a BT Sport interviewer that he was taken off when on a double hat-trick, Haaland jokingly slumped his shoulders and frowned. "I told him [Pep] when I went off I would love to score a double hat trick," he said. "But what can we do? I have to go off."
Ilkay Gundogan's goal and a superb strike by Kevin De Bruyne would seal a sensational win for City but Haaland remained the star of the show, receiving two standing ovations from the Etihad. When discussing his goals, the striker admitted a lot of his scoring is to do with his mental skill rather than his physical ones.
"My super strength... I think after scoring five goals I have to say scoring goals," he joked. "A lot of goals today I didn't think I was just doing it.
"On the penalty, I was just trying to get the ball in the back of the net, same with the second goal. Same with the third. Same on every single goal. I think a lot of it is just being quick in the mind and trying to do the right thing and trying to put it where the keeper is not. I think a little bit of it of course is quality but a lot of it is in the head I think."
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