Haaland Hits 50 as City Beat Napoli
Haaland Hits 50 Champions League Goals as City Beat Napoli in Thrilling Opener
Erling Haaland reached a remarkable milestone in Europe’s elite competition, scoring his 50th Champions League goal in just 49 appearances, as Manchester City kicked off their quest for glory with a 2-0 victory over Napoli. Jeremy Doku added the second with a stunning solo effort, ensuring Pep Guardiola’s men started their campaign on a high.
“The numbers speak for themselves. We’re incredibly lucky to have him,” Guardiola said of Haaland.
The Norwegian striker now sits 12th on the all-time Champions League scoring charts, still a long way from Cristiano Ronaldo’s record 141 goals. But Guardiola is confident Haaland has the time and talent to chase down the legendary marks.
“Alongside the two giants of the past 20 years, Ronaldo and Messi, Erling belongs there. His goal-scoring is unbelievable,” Guardiola added. “If he keeps up this pace for 10 to 12 more years, he can absolutely break the record.”
De Bruyne’s Bittersweet Return
Manchester City fans had been eagerly anticipating the return of Kevin De Bruyne to the Etihad, and the Belgian was given a hero’s welcome for his contributions of nearly 300 goals or assists in 422 matches during his previous spell.
However, the night ended prematurely for De Bruyne after just 26 minutes, following an early red card for Napoli’s Giovanni Di Lorenzo. Manager Antonio Conte explained the tough decision to substitute the 34-year-old, saying it was necessary to shore up his defence.
“I was very sorry to take him off,” Conte said. “I knew we’d lose some of what he brings, but I felt I had no other option. He understood the decision.”
Napoli Avoid Humiliation
The match’s defining moment came in the 21st minute when Di Lorenzo’s desperate challenge on Haaland earned him a straight red card after VAR intervention. Despite being reduced to ten men, Napoli’s defence held firm until half-time thanks to some spectacular saves from goalkeeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic.
The Serbian keeper, who had a brief spell at Manchester United early in his career, denied efforts from Rodri, Nico O’Riley, and Josko Gvardiol. Even in stoppage time, Matteo Politano’s timely block kept City at bay.
Once Napoli’s defence finally cracked 11 minutes into the second half, Phil Foden’s clever flick found Haaland, who looped a header over Milinkovic-Savic for his 12th goal in seven games this season across club and country. Doku sealed the win shortly after, weaving past three Napoli defenders before calmly finishing under the keeper.
With the victory secured, Guardiola rested Haaland and Rodri in the final minutes as City controlled possession effortlessly, giving the impression of a practice session.
Conte admitted his side were simply aiming to limit the damage in a difficult away fixture.
“We didn’t want to be humiliated, and it could have happened,” he said. “They could have easily scored five or six, but we avoided that thanks to our attitude.”
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