Erling Haaland, the prolific striker for Manchester City, was on fire during their recent Champions League match against RB Leipzig, scoring an impressive five goals.
However, just when he was on the cusp of breaking Lionel Messi's record and becoming the first player to score six goals in a single Champions League game, Manager Pep Guardiola made the decision to substitute him off.
After the match, Guardiola explained his reasoning for the move, stating that he didn't want Haaland to achieve such a significant milestone at the young age of 22. "If he achieves this milestone at 22, his life would be boring. He has something to aim for," Guardiola said during the post-match conference.
Haaland, for his part, took the substitution in stride, stating, "I told [Guardiola] I would love to score a double hat trick, but what can I do?" The Norwegian striker's incredible performance helped Manchester City secure a dominant 7-0 victory over RB Leipzig in the last-16 second leg of the Champions League.
While some fans may have been disappointed to see Haaland substituted off just as he was on the verge of breaking a historic record, Guardiola's decision highlights his commitment to helping his players maintain focus and strive for greater success.
As Manchester City continues their quest for Champions League glory, it's clear that the team will be relying on the skill and determination of players like Haaland to reach their goals.
Oladimeji Balogun is a graduate of the University of Ilorin where he studied Microbiology, he is a w...
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