Erling Haaland reluctantly hands jersey to Young Boys captain during Man City's dominant Champions League victory
Erling Haaland, the highly sought-after football sensation, continues to captivate attention as even rival teams are eager to get a glimpse of his brilliance Manchester City's opponents couldn't resist requesting his jersey during the halftime of their Champions League encounter A true record-breaking talent in the making
Erling Haaland is currently in high demand, with even Manchester City's opponents wanting a share of him. During the halftime break of City's 3-0 victory over Young Boys in the Champions League group stage on Tuesday, opposition captain Mohamed Ali Camara approached Haaland and requested his shirt.
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It is a common practice for players to exchange shirts after matches, but it is unusual for them to do it during a highly prestigious game.
Video footage captured the Manchester City striker shaking his head as he walked off the field, seemingly uttering, "This is not allowed," before reluctantly removing his jersey and handing it over to Camara.
City had already secured a 2-0 lead before halftime, with a penalty converted by Haaland in the 23rd minute and a fantastic solo goal by Phil Foden just before the break. When questioned about the occurrence in his post-match press conference, the manager of Young Boys, Raphael Wicky, expressed his surprise.
"I missed that. It's actually surprising news to me. I must admit, I'm a bit taken aback," he remarked.
"I don't believe it's related to the game itself or our performance. Nevertheless, I intend to speak with [Camara]."
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola deemed the situation "abnormal" but preferred to concentrate on his team's progression to the Champions League knockout round. "We secured a 3-0 victory. Although I am unsure of the cause, it is not my primary concern at present," clarified Guardiola in his conversation with journalists.
Haaland scored two goals for Manchester City, the first from the penalty spot.
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Young Boys needed to beat Manchester City to keep their razor-thin hopes of progression alive.
Ultimately, though, the Swiss side was no match for the reigning champion which is now unbeaten in its last 18 European matches.
On verge of another record
Haaland's participation in Tuesday's game was uncertain due to a minor injury scare, which caused him to sit out the second half of Manchester City's 6-1 victory over Bournemouth on Saturday. However, the Norwegian displayed no signs of being hindered as he scored a remarkable second goal. The Ballon d'Or runner-up skillfully received the ball on the edge of the penalty area and unleashed a powerful left-footed shot, finding the back of the net on the far side.
"I'd definitely be requesting his jersey after that," remarked Ally McCoist, former Scotland striker and TNT Sports analyst, during the commentary.
With a remarkable tally of 39 goals in a mere 34 Champions League games, the 23-year-old Haaland has already claimed the 20th spot on the all-time scoring chart.
He is on the cusp of surpassing the record for the fewest number of matches played to score 40 goals in the Champions League, currently held by Ruud van Nistelrooy who achieved it in 45 games. City, having already qualified for the last 16, will aim to solidify their position at the top of Group G as they face RB Leipzig on November 28.
