(Reuters) – Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said praising new striker Erling Haaland after each game has become part of his routine following the Norwegian’s double in their 4-0 Champions League win at Sevilla on Tuesday.
Haaland has scored 12 goals in eight games in all competitions for the Premier League champions since joining them from Borussia Dortmund during the close season.
At 22 years and 47 days, Haaland is the youngest player to score 25 goals in the Champions League, breaking Kylian Mbappe’s previous record. The Norwegian is also the fastest to reach the landmark, achieving it in 20 matches.
“I love this routine, but it’s been a routine in every single press conference after the game, asking me about him and his goals. Hopefully he can continue this routine, but the numbers speak for themselves,” Guardiola told reporters.
“It’s not just two goals, he’s always just there and always with the feeling that he would score more goals.”
Captain Kevin de Bruyne said Haaland is enjoying the “perfect start” at City.
“I think the way he has adapted to us is really good but obviously, outside of the goalscoring there’s another part of the game and that is more tough to adapt to,” De Bruyne said.
“It makes it exciting if he can adapt to see the outcome. If you score that much you can get away with things. If he keeps on scoring then we know it’s a positive for us.”
City, who reached the Champions League semi-finals last season, host Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League on Saturday.
(Reporting by Manasi Pathak in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
