Erling Haaland claims he is “not stressed” about his goal drought ahead of Saturday’s Champions League final against Inter Milan, despite scoring 52 goals in his debut season with Manchester City.
The Norwegian set a Premier League record most goals in a single season with 36, and has helped City close in on a historic treble after also winning the FA Cup.
However, Haaland’s four-game goalless skid is the longest in his City career, and he has only scored once in his last seven games.
“You can think of it as one goal in seven games or 52 goals in 52 games and eight assists, I think (he has nine),” said Haaland. “You can think of it in both ways. I’m not stressed. I feel really good.
“I didn’t expect to score this many goals but, again, I could have scored more. I’ve been missing a lot of chances, so I could have scored more. That’s the truth.”
City were already the dominant domestic force in English football before Haaland’s arrival from Borussia Dortmund last year.
However, the English champions are still to conquer Europe and his signing was seen as the final piece in the jigsaw to deliver Champions League glory.
“Of course I feel pressure. I would lie if I said I didn’t,” the 22-year-old said.
“You say it yourself and it’s true — they won the Premier League without me, they won every trophy without me.
“So I’m here to try to do a thing that the club has never done before and I’ll do my best.”
City are huge favourites to get the better of the Italian giants in Istanbul and become just the second side to do the treble of Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in the same season.
Pep Guardiola’s men became the first team to win the English domestic treble of Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup four years ago.
And Haaland believes it is little surprise that City are on the cusp of emulating the achievement of Manchester United, who won the treble in 1998/99.
“If you’d said this scenario before the season I wouldn’t think of it, of course,” said the Norwegian.
“But, again, when you look at the team, how close they’ve been with every single trophy every single season it’s not like it’s been not possible.
“We have been believing in ourselves ever since I came here. Just one game left.”
