FASTEST TO 100: Haaland takes aim at Ronaldo record v Inter
Manchester City welcome Inter Milan to the Etihad Stadium tonight at 9pm for their first Champions League match of the season.
In what is a repeat of the 2022/23 European final, which City won 1-0 thanks to a Rodri goal in the 68th minute, City striker Erling Haaland is again threatening to steal the show.
With nine goals already in four Premier League matches to date this season, Haaland will go out to break a record set by Cristiano Ronaldo when he played for Real Madrid for the fastest to 100 goals at a single club.
Al Nassr star Ronaldo needed 105 matches in Spain, with the 24-year-old Haaland set to play in his 104th match for City tonight.
Asked if he is surprised by his Norwegian yster’s goal-scoring prowess, City boss Pep Guardiola says: “A little bit yeah.
“You know why? I played 11 years and scored 11 goals. This guy in four games scored nine goals!”
Of going for Ronaldo’s record, Guardiola instead shifts his focus to the future and says: “If you tell me he will score 99 goals in the next 100 games, for me it’s fine.
“If he won’t improve, don’t improve. Score 99 goals in the next 100 games I will be more than delighted and City will be, too.”
Inter enter the match in third place in Serie A after two wins and two draws in four matches, while City have a perfect record at the top of the Premier League.
TONIGHT’S OTHER UCL FIXTURES
Bologna v Shakhtar Donetsk, Sparta Prague v RB Salzburg (both 6.45pm), Celtic v SK Slovan Bratislava, Club Brugge v Dortmund, PSG v Girona (all 9pm).