Erling Haaland made history as he scored an astonishing five goals to lead Manchester City to a resounding victory over RB Leipzig, securing a place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
The Norwegian sensation now holds the record for being both the youngest and fastest player to reach 30 goals in Europe’s premier club competition.
Haaland’s exceptional performance also saw him become the youngest player to score five goals in a single Champions League game, a feat previously accomplished only by Lionel Messi and Luiz Adriano.
This victory takes Haaland’s tally for the season to 39 goals in all competitions, making him the first City player to achieve this in a single campaign. Furthermore, his five hat-tricks this season are three more than any other player in the top five European leagues.
Although Ilkay Gundogan’s goal was a commendable effort, it paled in comparison to Haaland’s historic display. The 7-0 victory over Schalke in 2019 was the only other time City had achieved such a dominant performance in the competition.
With such a formidable display, it is no surprise that few teams, not even Real Madrid, will relish the prospect of being drawn against Pep Guardiola’s side in Friday’s quarter-final draw.
However, former club captain Vincent Kompany will hope that City’s form takes a dip when his Burnley team visit the Etihad Stadium in the FA Cup on Saturday.