Pep Guardiola emphasized the importance of managing Erling Haaland’s playing time, even if it means the team might play with slightly less confidence. In Manchester City’s Champions League win over Slovan Bratislava, Haaland calmly sealed the victory after rounding the goalkeeper. Following the match, Guardiola and Haaland were seen having an extended conversation as they left the pitch together.
Despite Guardiola’s preference to have Haaland play the full 90 minutes, he is mindful of the heavy fixture schedule ahead. After a physically intense encounter at St. James’ Park over the weekend, where Haaland took a serious knock, the striker decided that he had done enough in Slovakia after scoring and ensuring the team’s comfortable lead.
Guardiola explained that once City had a 3-0 advantage, the match was effectively won, so there was no need to risk Haaland’s fitness further, especially given his recent injury scare.
Guardiola praised Rico Lewis for his contribution to City’s third goal, which effectively put the game out of reach for Slovan Bratislava. His pass helped solidify the result, allowing City to manage their lead and ease the pressure on Haaland, who had played a pivotal role in the victory.
In the later stages of the game, McAtee came off the bench to score his first goal for City, extending the lead to 4-0 and further boosting City’s goal difference in the competition.
However, Guardiola admitted that while he was pleased with the overall performance and result, goal difference wasn’t his main concern at this stage. He wasn’t fully aware of the specific qualification criteria but stated that winning matches was the most important factor.
Guardiola acknowledged the challenges posed by three consecutive tough away matches in the Champions League and emphasized the importance of accumulating points to progress in the competition.
He described the victory as an important first step in moving up the table and improving City’s position in the group. Despite the demanding schedule, Guardiola is focused on maintaining balance, prioritizing both results and the well-being of key players like Haaland.
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