Pep Guardiola Defends Erling Haaland Criticism After Young Boys Match

By: Sandipan Ghosh Image credit: X

[{"selector":"#anim-9f21384e-f671-4368-b62e-b8e44aeacd9e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-17.35456700291458%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5ae2fe34-0e6d-4a99-bbbe-bf001a026a2d","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-ecea4707-7a76-4214-a112-c6abb98132bc","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cad66e9b-92a5-4c14-b65a-b2126b032167","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Norwegian striker Erling Haaland recently had a little goal drought spell for his English club Manchester City. Since his joining the City, it was an unusual spell for Haaland.

[{"selector":"#anim-a347065b-dc23-4f8a-9820-149445a07155","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-aa525235-157e-447e-b669-6cbebd6e6572","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 66.14411%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-52885ae8-d8b6-4872-b1aa-492300a1460a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-35a998c8-a46c-46ff-afd3-cd7e5d9e7e08 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-17.165865077569592%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] While Haaland didn't score in five straight UEFA Champions League matches, he also failed to score in two consecutive Premier League matches before netting a goal against Brighton last weekend.

[{"selector":"#anim-e7c29633-9c69-4e65-ab22-60d3ec40f415","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fd63f70d-a099-4ea2-9d9a-5fb9f72372f7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 63.23179%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a66cd6d1-1d40-4977-a34c-b611118ed20d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":200,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0c2e6f3c-d0bf-4083-95e8-ce5bf42fce5b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-13.580528496015058%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Last Wednesday, Haaland ended his five-match UCL goal-scoring drought with a brace, including a successful penalty kick, against the hosts Young Boys as City won that away UCL match by 3-1.

[{"selector":"#anim-c1bf6e90-3e3a-4f33-a6d0-8945e2f8f82e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(5.277643780836162%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-220d1412-3400-42b8-a700-b6eacce1b9e9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3f489335-396d-492c-8ac5-bb6a18567164","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -476.97256%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] However, during the first half against Young Boys, Haaland missed a great one-on-one chance. Despite scoring two goals, he was still a little shaky in front of the goal.

[{"selector":"#anim-feed8737-2ecd-4daf-b681-24fc52a51e3d [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-66.22836566726309%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5eeb1ccb-fb54-4662-a1ca-9c9666bafdea","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-7d8ddfe0-add5-45ef-a469-7a19b5c70fac","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1fa0e222-0232-4ab3-ad14-a72cf936e5a4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-119.73685%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] While Haaland has been criticized for his recent weak form, the City manager Pep Guardiola strongly defended the 23-year-old Norwegian striker.

[{"selector":"#anim-a9214de7-bcd9-41f1-b201-af406fc24ae9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(8.674278437045713%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Guardiola first took a dig at the critics by saying at TNT Sports after the match, "It is important to have the chances, the people want him to fail."

[{"selector":"#anim-0db76ae2-1a0c-43bf-83ae-e680ecfa5e48 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-15.090143898774874%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d0911bc5-9581-4ace-9701-824f15b09cee","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a99e7ce1-81da-4128-85b7-594c3f845951","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -476.24793%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Guardiola added, "I am sorry, but this guy will score goals all his life. With the chances, he is an incredible threat.....he is going to score until the last day he plays football."

[{"selector":"#anim-43d5b58b-2888-47d7-89c4-3aa2200e8754 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(14.146634272049988%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-07c7b114-4655-4cf9-85e1-8e57c83724d0","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(1)","scale(1.5)","scale(0.95)","scale(1)"],"offset":[0,0.33,0.66,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1450,"easing":"ease-in-out","fill":"both","iterations":1}] [{"selector":"#anim-4ac48251-2b82-4a36-b615-f9ccf7328c82","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c217d9ac-1ddd-4391-875d-452312152ccf","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-115.78948%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":600,"duration":800,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] At the end of the 2022/23 season, Haaland was the Premier League Player of the Season, Premier League Golden Boot winner, UEFA Men's Player of the Year, UEFA Champions League top scorer, etc.

Pep Guardiola Defends Erling Haaland Criticism After Young Boys Match

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