March 14, 2023 at 10:51 p.m
Manchester City convincingly qualified for the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Tuesday. Partly thanks to five goals from Erling Haaland, RB Leizpzig was settled 7-0 after the first leg had ended in 1-1.
It was a historic evening at the Etihad Stadium. Haaland became the third player in Champions League history to score five goals in one game. In addition, City are the first club ever to reach the quarter-finals of the champions ball for the sixth time in a row.
The team of coach Josep Guardiola did not waste any time and was lord and master from the kick-off. In the tenth minute, Nathan Aké sent a beautiful pass to Haaland, which hit former Heracles Almelo goalkeeper Janis Blaswich.
Not much later it happened again. Referee Slavko Vincíc pointed to the spot because Benjamin Henrichs touched the ball lightly with his arm. Haaland fired the penalty kick hard into the corner. Two minutes later, the Norwegian scored again. He headed in a rebound after Kevin De Bruyne had hit the crossbar beautifully.
Striking substitution Haaland
Blaswich then saved attempts by Haaland and Ilkay Gündogan, but the German goalkeeper had to allow a third City goal before the break. Haaland was able to complete his hat-trick from close range.
In the second half, City continued cheerfully. Gundogan cleverly cut his man and found the far corner. Then the Haaland show started again. The Norwegian attacker hit twice from a rebound in a short time, equaling Lionel Messi and Luiz Adriano with five hits in one Champions League game.
That was it for Haaland, because coach Josep Guardiola decided to take his wonder striker to the side with half an hour left on the clock. The striking substitution put a blanket of dullness over the game. Leipzig couldn’t anymore, City didn’t have to anymore. De Bruyne provided the final chord with a nice long shot.