Champions League quarter-finals (first leg): Manchester City v Borussia Dortmund
Kick-off: 8pm, Tuesday. Venue: Etihad Stadium. On TV: Live on Virgin Media Two and Virgin Media Sport.
Pep Guardiola has praised Erling Haaland, with Manchester City’s manager saying it does not take an expert to appreciate how impressive the Borussia Dortmund striker is.
City host Dortmund in Tuesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg hoping to reach the semi-finals for the first time under Guardiola. While Haaland is on City’s radar as a potential replacement for Sergio Agüero in the summer, the manager stated last week that his expected price of more than £100 million is not possible for the club.
Yet Guardiola was clear in his admiration for the Norwegian, who has 21 Bundesliga goals for Dortmund this season in an overall total of 34 strikes in 37 appearances, plus 10 in the Champions League.
“To score that number of goals at his age is not easy. He’s 20 years old, and the numbers speak for themselves,” said Guardiola. “When that happens it’s because he can score with the right, the left, via counter-attacks, in the box. He’s a fantastic striker, everyone knows it.”
Haaland is expected to depart Dortmund in the close season, with City, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Chelsea and Barcelona among clubs who retain an interest in signing him.
Guardiola was asked if Haaland’s value will be at least £100 million.
“I don’t know, it’s a question for Dortmund, his agent [Mino Raiola], so I don’t know,” the City manager said. “I understand completely people ask about Haaland because of course he’s an exceptional striker, but you understand it’s not appropriate for me to talk about a player from another club.
“The only thing I can say is that he is an exceptional striker. With his age he is an exceptional striker. He’s a fantastic player – that’s all.”
Guardiola dismissed the notion that City being unable to pay £100 million or more for a player places the club at a disadvantage.
“No, not at all. Not for the fact we have not spent for one player a lot of money, gives you a disadvantage. Football is a team game, everyone makes his contribution. The guy who doesn’t play makes his contribution, the backroom staff and everyone, so it’s not just about one player, it’s about absolutely everyone.”
City’s record signing is Rúben Dias, who cost £64 million last summer.
“So far the club has decided not to spend close to £100 million for a player, or more than £100 million on a player,” said Guardiola. “Maybe in the future it is going to happen if they decide it is necessary to improve the team for the next five, 10 years, for many reasons, but so far the club, the organisation, the CEO, the sporting director decided not to do it, and that’s why they didn’t do it. But maybe in the future – I don’t know.”
One-off match
Under Guardiola City have exited the Champions League to Monaco in the last 16 and Liverpool, Tottenham and Lyon in the quarter-finals. The loss against Lyon last August was a one-off match due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Of this 3-1 defeat, the 50-year-old said: “Of course, it remained in my head for weeks and it was painful, I cannot deny it. We wanted to go through, and we accepted we didn’t do it well, didn’t deserve to go through.
“Yes, it was painful but after a short time, 10 days [maybe] we wake up and prepare for next season, and here we are again, to try again. It was a disappointment, but we are here again.”
Rodri described the threat of Dortmund, who are fourth in the Bundesliga, as “anarchic”. The City midfielder said: “They have a very anarchic type of game, they try to punish you on the counter-attack.”
Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho, the former City forward, may be available for next week’s second leg following a muscle injury. – Guardian
