Manchester City 7 Leipzig 0
The Norwegian striker scores five goals in 57 minutes, matching the record set by Messi and Luiz Adriano in the Champions League, and crowns the exhibition of Guardiola’s team. The VAR opened the night on the channel with a controversial penalty
When nothing seems to make sense, the goal rocks you. comforts you. It reconciles you with this game in which fascination is necessary to continue believing.
well could Erling Haaland to have left the field bellowing. He had scored five goals against Leipzig in 57 minutes, equaling the feat in the Champions League in Leo Messi with Barcelona in 2012 (Bayer Leverkusen) or Luiz Adriano with Shakhtar in 2014 (BATE Borisov). But, with half an hour still to go, Pep Guardiola I decided to withdraw the Norwegian. Haaland sighed. I smiled. And he looked proudly towards the Etihad stands, where the fans applauded with the solemnity of having lived through a historic moment, but not for that reason unique. Because the boy is 22 years old. And long enough to build a time.
Guardiola’s Manchester City, one of the great aspirants to win this Champions League, reached the quarterfinals for the sixth straight season. He did it after completing a spectacular and irreproachable match. Because it is several steps above a Leipzig without the rebellious spirit of the first leg (1-1) and without the intimidation of the central defender Guardiol. And because, this time, they have a special striker, the best specialist in the world, capable of giving meaning to the torrent of play.
Haaland defined the tie with three goals in the first act, to complete his memorable performance with two more goals at the dawn of the second. Leipzig had been left lying in the ditch of the controversial play of the night, resolved by the VAR with the penalty that tore their morale. And there the Red Bull team stood, rooted like a scarecrow. It was all over.
controversial penalty
It is increasingly difficult to understand football. A point has been reached where the determining episodes of this sport escape our gaze, too innocent for these papier-mâché times, and reality is only projected on a delayed basis. City crushed Leipzig with Haaland’s five breaths, the target of Gndogan and the final lace of the revitalized De Bruyne. Although, before all that, the locals found a four-leaf clover.
Rodri y Henrichs they jumped The full flight, and while the City midfielder drew the gesture of the header, the leather grazed the right arm of the German defender. I had it spread out, all right. But the touch must have been like the caress of the Manchester drizzle, soft but fucking. None of the footballers repaired the infraction. Neither did the referee, the Slovak Slavko Vincic. The one who was quite close was the Spanish referee Alejandro Hernndez Hernndezresponsible for the VAR at the Etihad, and who decided to export to Europe the usual technological delirium of the Spanish League.
From here, Haaland was able to reign without any opposition. It was the Norwegian who took responsibility for the penalty. The goal could already Blaswich hit the direction of the shot, which would be impossible for him to respond to the Norwegian’s dry hammer blow. Haaland kept running like crazy. And pull your gift of ubiquity to complete the banquet. At 2-0 he had time to put pressure on the goalkeeper, assist De Bruyne, and go to the rebound in time. In his third goal, he went for the ball as it paraded along the goal line after a shot from Rben Dias. After Gndogan’s 4-0, Haaland jumped more than anyone in his fourth so much to clinch with the left; and, with the right, caught the poker.
Haaland said goodbye with a hand wide open. As if it were the fly swatter with which to rule the world.
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