Five years since Manchester City of Pep Guardiola hit their head against a glass ceiling in the Champions League.

Since the arrival of the Catalan at the head of the club in 2016, the Mancunian club has never reached the semi-finals of the continental competition.

After his victory in the quarterfinals (2-1) against Dortmund, the Citizens want to ward off their old demons and get closer to the Grail, a European coronation for which its Emirati owners have invested heavily.

But on their road stands Erling Haaland: a kid of only 20 years old, coveted by all of Europe, current top scorer of the C1 (10 goals) in front of Kylian Mbappé and able to play a bad trick at the club where his father Alf- Inge ended his playing career (2000-2003).

ILKAY: Going to Dortmund and knowing that there is no audience is like it is a disadvantage for Dortmund.

I played there for five years, I know how loud the noise can be in this stadium.

It was the same at our stadium last week.

We miss it.

- Manchester City (@ManCityFra) April 13, 2021

Liar poker about the future of Halaland

Liar poker is already in full swing around the future of the Norwegian striker, between the very firm position of Borussia Dortmund, on the one hand, and on the other the tour of his clan in Spain and England to find him a possible point of fall this summer.

"I can confirm that I went to Dortmund to discuss. Michael Zorc (BVB sporting director) made it clear to us that the BVB did not want to sell Erling Haaland this summer," said his agent Mino Raiola, on the German site Sport1, Monday.

"I respect this opinion, which does not automatically mean that I share it", however added the very powerful agent, assuring however that there was "no war between us and the BVB, absolutely not".

A few days earlier, however, with Alf-Inge Haaland, they had gone to listen carefully to the speeches of favorite clubs to recruit the 20-year-old nugget: Real and Barcelona in Spain, Chelsea, Liverpool and ... Manchester City in England.

Placed a few days before the first leg, this visit and its timing had caused a lot of talk.

Mino Raiola 🎙:



"Dortmund want to keep Haaland for next season. They have been very clear about this.



But that doesn't mean I agree with them."

pic.twitter.com/32xah63PmC

- Team Real Madrid 🇫🇷 (@MadridTeam_) April 12, 2021

Dortmund in danger

The fact that Haaland has been silent for six appearances, either with Norway or Dortmund, despite two assists, including that of Marco Reus' goal in Manchester last week, also doesn't help lighten the atmosphere around. of the player.

And this especially since the place of the Ruhr club in the Champions League next season is more than threatened: the BVB is in fifth place in the Bundesliga, seven lengths from the fourth and last qualifying place for the C1.

Without the prestige and millions of euros of the main European competition, Haaland, but perhaps also Jadon Sancho or others, could more easily be tempted to give in to foreign sirens.

"I did not notice anything, we never talked about it," assured his coach Edin Terzic on Tuesday, questioned whether the player was distracted by his future.

Getting back on track on Wednesday would at least allow Erling Haaland to refocus the debate on the pitch while contributing a little more to his aura.

He will also be the main danger for City who had rather well managed to muzzle him in the first leg.  

A perfect season for Manchester City?

Still, the pressure will be very strong for the English, dominating during the first round but without making the hole.

Used to repeated disillusions under Pep Guardiola - eliminations in the eighth in 2016-2017 and in the quarter for the past three years - the Citizens seemed however largely favored in this confrontation, even for the final victory.

Authors this season of a series of 28 consecutive successes, a record for an English club, and with a third English league title in four years which seems almost certain, the Sky Blues are entering the "money time" of their season .

After Dortmund, they will play an FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea and in ten days the League Cup final against Tottenham.

In this space of time, their dream of a historic quadruplet may as well vanish as it may take on more substance.

To put all the chances on his side, Guardiola did not hesitate to align a B team against Leeds this weekend, with a surprise defeat (2-1), without consequence in the standings.

But by leaving Ruben Dias, Ilkay Gündogan, Kevin De Bruyne, Riyad Mahrez or Phil Foden at rest, the message is clear: this time, City is betting big on Europe!

With AFP

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