Posted On: 24 Oct 2024
Pep Guardiola and his players moved into the top-three of the league table in this season’s revamped UEFA Champions League competition with another high-scoring rout in the tournament.
After a 0-4 away win on matchday two against Slovakia’s Slovan Bratislava, it was the turn of Czech Republic’s Sparta Praha to visit the Etihad Stadium and succumb to a 5-0 defeat against the 2023 winners of the competition.
Goals from Phil Foden, John Stones, and a penalty from Matheus Nunes complimented another fine Erling Haaland brace, including a sensational scorpion kick effort from the Norwegian, who had his back to goal when striking the ball.
The effort left many supporters speechless, as well as those in the Manchester City dressing room, with teammates telling the media of their shock at a goal that Haaland had scored in similar fashion against Borussia Dortmund in 2022.
Speaking to TNT Sports pitch-side after the game at the Etihad Stadium, Foden revealed that he told Erling Haaland that had he tried the exact same goal scored by the 24-year-old, he would likely sustained a muscular injury.
“I just spoke to him, I said, ‘Mate if I tried to do that I’d pull my groin'”, Foden said.
He continued, “I don’t know how he does it! It’s just how long his legs are! He’s a freak!