“We scored three goals”: Pep Guardiola defends Haaland’s poor performance against Real Madrid

Pep Guardiola defended Haaland’s poor performance against Real Madrid as pressure on the striker has been mounting following poor outings recently. 

Guardiola defends Haaland’s poor performance in the UCL quarterfinal

Man City forward Erling Haaland has found himself on the receiving end of severe criticism in the last few weeks as the striker has had poor returns in the last few weeks. His lack of involvement in play in big games has been a concern and has been pointed out by many pundits. The striker was once again criticized for his performance midweek in the UCL against Real Madrid, but Pep Guardiola has quickly defended Haaland’s poor performance in the first leg of the tie. 

Speaking to the media, Guardiola said, “We scored three goals at the Bernabéu… he had two central defenders near him! Haaland is a young player, he has margins to improve but it’s more about the team than him to get better”. The statement was a reiteration of Guardiola’s recent statements defending the Norwegian striker following criticism from pundits like Roy Keane as well. 

While Erling Haaland’s poor performance against Real Madrid was undeniable, in the grand scheme of things Man City didn’t suffer as City still managed to score three goals against Los Blancos away from home. The Norwegian striker will be eagerly waiting for the second leg next week as City will host Real Madrid at the Etihad Stadium. Before the tie, City will take on Luton Town in the Premier League over the weekend. 

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