Erling Haaland instantly makes Champions League history and scores key goal
Erling Haaland has scored for Manchester City in their crunch clash at Real Madrid – but he broke a record before that key goal.
The Norwegian striker was named in the starting line-up by Pep Guardiola for the Bernabeu spectacle on Wednesday night and helped City go 2-1 up at half time with his composed penalty.
This is his 50th start in the competition, allowing him to make history with the most goals by a player in their first half a century of starts.
Prior to the clash with Real Madrid, Haaland had already scored 50 goals in his opening 49 Champions League starts.
That tally dates back to a hat-trick on his debut in the competition over six years ago.
Haaland, then aged 19, grabbed a treble for Red Bull Salzburg in their 6-2 group stage win over Gent in September 2019.
He has gone on to score 54 goals in 52 appearances since including five in four starts for City so far this season.
Haaland’s career tally sees him ranked ninth in the competition’s all-time list of scorers, just two goals behind Ruud van Nistelrooy.
The 25-year-old has twice finished as the Champions League’s top scorer.
His first golden boot came with Borussia Dortmund during the 2020/21 season.
Meanwhile, he added another as City lifted the trophy two years later as part of their treble-winning campaign.
City’s Champions League status
Guardiola’s side have made an unbeaten start in the league phase so far this term.
Erling Haaland's Champions League career
- 2019/20 – Eight goals in six apps for Salzburg
- 2019/20 – Two goals in two apps for Dortmund
- 2020/21 – 10 goals in eight apps for Dortmund
- 2021/22 – Three goals in three apps for Dortmund
- 2022/23 – 12 goals in 11 apps for City
- 2023/24 – Six goals in nine apps for City
- 2024/25 – Eight goals in nine apps for City
- 2025/26 – Five goals in six apps for City
A win for City would see them move into the top eight with two matches to play.
City’s remaining matches see them travel to play Bodo/Glimt before concluding the league phase at home to Galatasaray on January 28.
A top eight finish and direct entry into the last 16 would represent an improvement on last season’s European campaign.
After sneaking into the knockout play-offs on the final matchday by finishing 22nd, they were drawn against Real Madrid in the next round.
Guardiola then saw his side lose 6-3 on aggregate after they were beaten in both legs home and away.
But they look firmly in control so far having fought back well after falling behind through Rodrygo’s firm effort.
Nico O’Reilly equalised for the visitors after Thibaut Courtois spilled Josko Gvardiol’s header straight into his path.
Haaland then stepped up with a penalty after being wrestled to the ground by Antonio Rudiger.
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