Guardiola calls Haaland “unstoppable” as his incredible form keeps breaking records

Erling Haaland has brought an almost extraterrestrial touch to Manchester City. In the Champions League on Tuesday night, he further proved why Pep Guardiola thinks he is "unstoppable." He got two goals in the 5-0 victory over Sparta Prague; one was a backheel volley when he was facing his back to the goal and also, of course, was the center of attention.

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Guardiola didn't mince words when talking about Haaland after last Wednesday's game: "When Erling is on the field, he's unstoppable". It is not just a question of efficiency on the pitch, but how he makes the most difficult things seem so easy. The backheel volley was, as Pep mentioned, "unbelievable." It's hard to disagree with. Savinho's cross was perfect, but the way Haaland can improvise a finish like that, having his back to the goal, raises it to another dimension. As the coach has said, "For a human being, that's not normal."

Comparing it to a similar goal he scored against Borussia Dortmund, Guardiola confessed he didn't know "which one was harder." That just summarizes what Haaland represents: plays that keep us in a dilemma as to which one was more incredible. He makes the extraordinary, ordinary, and that is what puts him into a special category. Pep even added that he "can touch the ball 15 times but creates seven or eight chances."

City's Solidity Under Pressure

While Haaland shone upfront, the rest of Manchester City showed why they are a feared team across Europe. Sparta Prague, despite the lopsided scoreline, managed to provide some unexpected resistance in the first half. As Guardiola put it: "They put a lot of people behind the ball to try to frustrate us." And it did for some time, but not long enough.

Then, just three minutes in, Phil Foden opened the scoring. By that early period of the game, Sparta had already recomposed and turned the match into a test of City's patience. Pep was pleased: "I'm really enjoying the way we've been playing lately. Not the second half against Fulham, but overall I'm very satisfied." It says all, as the coach realizes the evolution of his team, which found solutions to break the opposing defense and keep the pressure.

Patience, as ever, was rewarded. By the time Haaland scored the second goal 15 minutes into the second half, it was as if City had finally cracked Sparta Prague's code. "Erling has this incredible ability," repeated Guardiola, to score two goals and could have had two more. And that is what makes him a constant threat. He doesn't need many chances to be decisive, and that's a nightmare for any opponent.

The Importance of Keeping up Momentum in the Champions League

With this win, City now lies third in the group with seven points out of a possible nine, but Guardiola is fully aware that a lot of work needs to be done yet. "We need to finish in the top eight because it's a big advantage not to play a knockout stage," he said. He knows that with the team advancing straight to the latter stages, they can also focus on the Premier League as another priority of City.

Surprised with such an amount of goals, Guardiola argued, "We scored four in Bratislava, five here-it was unexpected for me." His modesty is in contrast to the reality of a City team which has been nothing but an offensive machine. Even when opponents sit back, City finds solutions-either through patient passing, individual brilliance from players like Haaland, or the tactical organization that Pep builds game after game.

Dealing with Injuries and the Role of the Squad

One of the other valid points Guardiola has raised in his post-match analysis is on injuries. He expressed that City have had players out because of injury issues, just like many teams, but he has undying faith in the whole squad: "I have a lot of faith in all the players, and they're proving me right.

That trust was well-repaid by performances such as John Stones' headed goal and Matheus Nunes' stoppage-time penalty that finally sealed the scoreline. Even without some of their key players, City still managed to keep up a high standard of performance, which is already proof of how deep the squad is and how effectively Pep has worked.