We are running out of words to describe Erling Haaland at this point. The Norwegian sensation couldn’t have asked for a better start to life at Manchester City, as his numbers both in the Premier and UEFA Champions League are unbelievable.
With 28 goals in26 league games, Haaland has made sure of carrying his fantastic level to the continental stage as he now boasts an astonishing10 goals in just six appearances. And he netted half of them in a single game.
Haaland delivered a performance for the ages in the round of 16 return leg between Manchester City and Leipzig, recording a hat-trick in the first 45 minutes andadding two more to his tally before being subbed off in the second half. With five goals in a single game, he became the third player to do soin tournament history.
Haaland, Messi and Luiz Adriano share record for most goals in a Champions League game
Before Haaland’s outstanding night, only two players had been able to score on five occasions in the same game: Lionel Messi and Luiz Adriano. The Argentine star became the first player to do so in 2012, finding the net five times as Barcelona beat Bayer Leverkusen 7-1 in the second leg of the round of 16 tie.
The Brazilian player, on the other hand, bagged five goals for Shakhtar Donetsk against BATE Borisov in the 2014-15Champions League group stage. What no player has been able to do sofar is score six goals in a single Champions League game.
Haaland could have broken the record, but Pep Guardiola decided to rest him after 63 minutes. Still, Haaland’s incredible performance against Leipzig will be impossible to forget.