Soccer

Erling Haaland’s hunger for goals is like Messi’s, says Pep Guardiola

Striker’s penalty in Sunday’s 2-1 victory at Fulham took the Norwegian to 50 goals for the season

Manchester City's striker Erling Haaland after the Premier League match between Fulham and Manchester City. Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Images
Manchester City's striker Erling Haaland after the Premier League match between Fulham and Manchester City. Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP via Getty Images
Tue May 02 2023 - 22:30

Pep Guardiola believes Erling Haaland has a hunger for goals like Lionel Messi’s, though Manchester City’s manager urged caution when comparing the striker with arguably the greatest ever player.

Haaland’s penalty in Sunday’s 2-1 victory at Fulham took the Norwegian to 50 goals for the season, including 34 in the Premier League, equalling the competition record set by Andy Cole and Alan Shearer. Messi scored 50 or more club goals six times in nine seasons between 2010-2019. Guardiola was the Argentinian’s coach at Barcelona when Messi scored 73 times in the 2011-2012 campaign and was asked whether Haaland’s desire to score was at the same level.

“In terms of goals and mentality, yeah,” he said. “But Messi has done it every season in the last 10-15. Erling since he started at Salzburg has got to the same level in terms of goals. It’s almost every game, he scores a goal.

“One or two every game, he had the chances to do it, but Messi is the most complete player I have seen in terms of vision, dribbles, passes, competitiveness, in many things that are difficult. Hopefully Erling can be so close [to] Leo – that will be great for us and him.”

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City have six league matches remaining, the first of which is West Ham’s visit to the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday. Guardiola was asked what his priority is when instructing his players during the run-in.

“My main role I think is telling them that if you are tired, you’re wrong,” he said. “You are not tired. When you are winning games, I felt it as a player – and at Barcelona and Bayern Munich as a manager who is dreaming of ‘winning the title’ – [the players] feel the same.

“Now it’s a question of sleep and sleep and sleep. Eat a lot and drink – water, not another type of drink. Water, water, water. Take a lot of naps after lunchtime, better regeneration and use all your energy in the moment of the game.”

Nathan Aké is available again but Kevin De Bruyne faces a fitness test. – Guardian