UEFA Champions League 2022-23: Manchester City decimated RB Leipzig 7-0 in the second leg of the pre-quarters at home, winning 8-1 in the aggregate, while Erling Haaland's five-goal wonder has records going for toss and netizens in awe.
English champion Manchester City was undoubtedly the favourite, heading into Tuesday's second leg of the 2022-23 UEFA Champions League (UCL) at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester against German giants RB Leipzig. However, no one expected it to be so one-sided, as the sheer dominance displayed by the hosts, aided by Erling Haaland's unreal five-goal performance, was too good to be handled by the visitors.
Gimme five! ✋😅🔵 pic.twitter.com/REPP5m8lkp
— Erling Haaland (@ErlingHaaland)It all began with Haaland, who found the back of the net in the 22nd minute, followed by 24th, 45th+2, 53rd and 57th, while Ilkay Gündogan also aided him in the 49th and Kevin De Bruyne in the 90th+2. As a result, it was evident that the Norwegian sensation had sent the records tumbling while netizens were all over social media to shower acclaim on him.
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Hat-trick completed and… 31 goals in 25 Champions League games. Unreal Erling Haaland 🔵🧘🏼♂️
Reminder: born July 21, 2000. pic.twitter.com/4mqN5pvUUR
As for the records Haaland smashed:
Haaland breaks the club record for most goals scored in a single season.
It's March.
Following his thunderous performance, Haaland told BT Sport, "It's all a bit blurry in my head. I am trying to remember the goals. I just remember shooting and [not] thinking. I'm so tired after the celebrations. A lot of the goals, I didn't think. I just wanted to get the ball in the back of the net—the same with the second goal, with the third goal, with every goal. I think a lot is being quick in mind and trying to do the right thing [in the moment]. A lot of it is in the head, I think."
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**🇧🇷Luiz Adriano vs BATE Borisov-2014
— FIFA World Cup Stats (@alimo_philip)Meanwhile, City head coach Pep Guardiola praised the Norwegian and credited his defence for the victory. "Right now, we defended well. The goals we have scored all the time in all the seasons. But, of course, having someone like Erling, like Julian [Alvarez], as we had with Sergio [Aguero] before or Gabriel [Jesus], who has the instinct to score the goals... in this competition, in one moment, he can score. It's important."
Erling Haaland’s goal furthest from the net tonight was his 22nd minute penalty.
Tap-in merchant. 😉 pic.twitter.com/3jiE7w8HNr
When asked if he believed that Haaland would have got his sixth, Guardiola wondered, "It was five in 60 minutes, no more than that. If he played 90 minutes... I don't know. He's an incredible guy. He has the power and the mentality. He's a serial winner."
“But Haaland makes Manchester City worse and only scores tap ins” lets see your striker score 5 goals in a UCL game then pic.twitter.com/OTjcsgzzWD
— 17 (@DxBruyneSZN)