Erling Haaland has stated that Pablo Rosario “grabbed my bottom” during Manchester City’s 2-0 victory over Porto on Tuesday. The incident occurred in the 92nd minute of the match. Haaland, who scored both of City’s goals, and Rosario grappled before falling to the ground. Both players received bookings after they were separated.
Haaland commented on the incident to Norway’s TV 2, noting his desire for a hat-trick and Rosario’s efforts to prevent it. He mentioned that images would show Rosario grabbing him, calling it “a little interesting.”
The match saw other contentious moments, including a bust-up near the tunnel involving players and staff at half-time. This followed an incident where Marc Guéhi and Gabriel Veiga clashed, resulting in a head injury for Veiga. Images from the tunnel area showed Rúben Dias placing a hand on what appeared to be Francesco Farioli, the Porto head coach. Uefa is awaiting the match report from referee Szymon Marciniak and delegate Stéphanie Ford to determine if any action will be taken against Dias or City.
Haaland’s opening goal in the 47th minute was a header. He revealed that he had been practicing headers with his father, Alf Inge, a former City player, just two days prior. Haaland noted that he has significantly improved his heading ability over the years, considering it a strength of his game that comes with experience.
The striker agreed with his manager, Enzo Maresca, that he might need a break soon. Haaland highlighted the difficulty of getting rest in professional football, especially with demanding schedules like playing four games in 10 or 11 days during international breaks. He emphasised the need to find small windows for rest to give his mind a break.
Haaland’s Goal-Scoring Prowess
Haaland’s two goals against Porto contributed to City’s victory in the Champions League. His performance led to discussions about his potential to become one of the greatest goalscorers in football history. Jamie Carragher expressed his belief that Haaland will be the “best goalscorer of all time,” citing his prolific scoring rate.
With his brace, Haaland became City’s third-highest goalscorer of all time, reaching 167 goals in 203 appearances. He is now 93 goals behind the current record-holder, Sergio Aguero. Haaland also equalled Aguero’s Champions League tally for City with 35 strikes in the competition.
Haaland has scored 364 goals for top-flight clubs and his country across 424 career games. Carragher noted that Haaland’s consistent goal-scoring makes it seem like a “normal night” even when he scores multiple goals in a significant match like a Champions League away fixture. Porto boss Francesco Farioli described Haaland as a “monster” in his post-match press conference.
Since joining Manchester City in 2022, Haaland has maintained an average of around 51 goals per year for club and country.
Team Reaction and Future Fixtures
Enzo Fernández, a deadline day signing for City, praised Haaland’s performance, calling him “an animal, a beast.” Fernández, who provided the curling cross for Haaland’s opening goal, expressed his intention to continue looking for Haaland on the pitch to provide more assists. He also spoke positively about Haaland as a person, noting his welcoming nature and helpfulness since Fernández joined the club.
Fernández also shared his happiness about reuniting with manager Enzo Maresca, under whom he thrived at Chelsea. He expressed gratitude to Maresca for making his move to City possible and pledged to give 100% in every training session and match to repay him. Fernández also highlighted the warm welcome he received from his new teammates and the fans, describing it as a new and exciting step in his career.
Haaland has scored five goals in five appearances across all competitions under Maresca. Despite his two goals against Porto, Haaland felt he could have scored more, stating he “could have easily had a few more goals.” He acknowledged the difficulty of the match against the champions of Portugal but praised his team’s ability to control the first half and secure the win. City will now turn their attention to the Premier League, where they are scheduled to play Manchester United on Sunday.
Source: theguardian.com