Pep challenges Haaland to stay ‘relaxed’ for City success،
COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Pep Guardiola told Erling Haaland to “relax” after questioning the Manchester City striker's body language during the win over Everton.
Haaland scored both goals in the second half of the 2-0 win at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday, but Guardiola later said the Norwegian's body language during the first 45 minutes was “not good.
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City will resume their UEFA Champions League defense against Copenhagen on Tuesday and ahead of the game Haaland, back after two months out with a foot injury, was urged by his manager to stay positive, even though he is not don't mark.
“Erling is young, he plays in the most difficult position on the pitch, surrounded by four or five players with little space,” Guardiola said in a press conference on Monday. “In the first half [against Everton] maybe we didn't have special delivery guys, like Kevin [De Bruyne] for example, who can find it. At that point it must be positive. It will come.
“When he scored a goal, he reacted but he doesn't need to score because he helps us with many things. Not just to score a goal.
“Back [after two months out] It's not easy and he's a great competitor who wants to score goals. Okay, I know, we know, so relax. »
City go into the Champions League round of 16 as one of only two teams to win all six group stage matches with Real Madrid.
Guardiola's side are bidding to become the first team since Real Madrid's treble in 2016, 2017 and 2018 to retain the trophy, and the 53-year-old says confidence in the team is greater after being crowned champions of Europe last season.
“When I arrived eight years ago, I had the feeling that maybe this competition was too difficult for us,” Guardiola said. “Our defeats and bad times have helped us grow and being in the position we are in — two finals and a semi-final in the last three years — the whole club is aware that we can try to be ourselves.
“Before, I felt like they were saying 'are you sure Pep? Are we ready to do this?'
“Now the whole organization believes we can do it.”
Copenhagen booked their place in the last 16 by coming out of a group that also included Bayern Munich, Manchester United and Galatasaray.
United were beaten 4-3 at the Parken Stadium and Bayern fell behind before narrowly winning 2-1.
Copenhagen have not played a competitive match since their last group match against Galatasaray on December 12 due to Denmark's winter break, but City defender Nathan Aké is still expecting a difficult evening.
“We know it will be difficult,” Aké said. “The group they were in was one of the toughest and coming out of it shows what a high-level test we will have. We won it last year but that doesn't change the fact that we want to do well. even and go as well as possible. as much as possible. It's probably one of the toughest competitions in the world.
