Mueez Ajao
– Erling Haaland says he was brought to Manchester City to help them win the Champions League because they “already know” how to win the Premier League.
– Haaland, 22, scored five goals in City’s 7-0 thrashing of RB Leipzig on Tuesday that secured their place in the Champions League quarter-finals.
– City’s best performance in the competition is finishing runners-up to Chelsea in 2021.
Also Read: Record breaking Haaland fires Clinical City into quarterfinals
– “Of course the club want to win the Champions League,” said Haaland.
– “They’ve won four out of the last five Premier League titles. They didn’t bring me in to win the Premier League because they already know how to win it.
– “So, you can read between the lines. I’m here to try to help the club develop even more and to win the Champions League for the first time.”
– City’s failure to lift the Champions League is in contrast to their recent domestic success.
– They have won 17 trophies since owner Sheikh Mansour’s takeover of the club in 2008, including six Premier League titles – four of which have come since manager Pep Guardiola was appointed in 2016.
– Despite already breaking a host of records and closing in on several more, Haaland thinks he can get even better.
– Speaking to CBS, the Norway striker said: “I knew I was going to score goals because, last season, how many did they [City] score? Probably 100.
– “When I saw them without a striker and they were crossing the ball in, I was like ‘ah, I’d love to be there!’
– “But there is so much potential in this team and I think we can improve a lot. It’s an easy thing to say, but I could have scored more goals. I missed a lot of chances.
– “I can get better in everything. I have to be much better – heading, combining, everything.”
