Like wildfire, a tweet by a British sports journalist named Rahman Rashid spread, asking a question in which he said: Did Guardiola really send Haaland out so that he would not break Messi's record in the Champions League?
The Argentine star was the only player to score 5 goals in one match, not including penalties.
Pep really subbed off Haaland so he doesn't break Messi's record.
— Reshad Rahman (@ReshadRahman_) March 14, 2023
And the former correspondent of “BN Spots” in Barcelona, Ashraf Bin Ayad, tweeted a banner in which he wrote, “I liked Guardiola when he brought out Haaland, Messi’s number was in danger.”
I liked Guardiola when he brought Haaland out, Messi's number was in danger 👏👏👏
- Achraf Ben Ayad (@Benayadachraf) March 14, 2023
However, Haaland scored his five (including a penalty kick) in 35 minutes, while Messi needed 60 minutes to score his five against Bayer Leverkusen in 2012 when Pep Guardiola was coach of Barcelona.
Haaland became the third player in history to score 5 goals in one match after Messi and the Brazilian Luiz Adriano, who achieved this feat in 2014 with Shakhtar Donetsk after scoring five goals (including two penalties) against the Belarusian Borisov.
🗓️ OTD in 2012: Messi became the first player to score 5 goals in a #UCL game 🤯🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/Z2xVjXDxYs
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 7, 2022
Guardiola explained why Haaland took him out in the 63rd minute of the Leipzig confrontation ,
before he scored 6 goals in one match and set a record in his name.
Everywhere. That's why I took him off the pitch."
A strange statement by Guardiola .. Everyone asks why when we lose the European Champions League
#ManchesterCityLeipzig #beINUCL |
#UCL pic.twitter.com/6G4h2UuuA6
- beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) March 14, 2023
The Spanish coach added, “I did not know when Messi did that against Leverkusen, they told me in the first interview. But I made the switch (Tuesday) because usually when the match is practically over, I want to give the largest number of players the opportunity to participate in the matches .. Haaland equaled the record.” For Messi, but he did it in 60 minutes, it's different. Who knows if he played 90 minutes?"
Haaland was a huge minesweeper in front of goal throughout the match, narrowly missing several other excellent chances in an 8-1 aggregate win.
"I told (Guardiola) that I wanted to score 6 goals, but what can I do?" said Haaland, who was substituted minutes after scoring his fifth goal.
What did Haaland say after his five goals against Leipzig? # European_Champions_League |
#ManchesterCityLeipzig #beINUCL |
#UCL pic.twitter.com/QtEFHQHVID
- beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) March 14, 2023
Haaland scored 10 goals in the Champions League this season and 33 goals in his career in the tournament, after he scored 30 goals in 25 matches, which is the lowest number of matches ever in the tournament.
He is also the youngest player to reach this figure in the Champions League.
Guardiola won 9 major titles at Manchester City, but European success is still far from the Spanish coach at the English club.
He came close to the European title with Manchester City, but lost 1-0 to Chelsea in the 2021 final.
The “Citizens” inflicted a humiliating defeat on its German guest, to qualify the English Premier League champions to the quarter-finals of the European Champions League for the sixth consecutive season.
Five Erling Haaland ⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️
Haaland becomes the third player to score 5 goals in one Champions League match after Lionel Messi and Luis Adriano#UEFA Champions League |
#ManchesterCityLeipzig #Haaland #beINUCL |
#UCL pic.twitter.com/WIWNbrYZVV
- beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) March 14, 2023