Sport
“Haaland is Similar to Messi in Numbers, But They Are Different Players” – Guardiola
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola recently reflected on his experience working with two of football’s biggest stars, Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi.
Currently managing Haaland at Man City, Guardiola previously worked with Messi during their time at Barcelona between 2008 and 2012.
With Haaland’s recent signing of a new nine-and-a-half-year contract at Manchester City, Guardiola was asked to compare the Norwegian striker to the legendary Messi.
While Guardiola acknowledged similarities between the two, particularly in their goal-scoring abilities, he was quick to point out their differences.
“In terms of numbers and scoring goals, he is similar to Leo [Messi], but they are different players,” Guardiola explained.
“You can’t really compare them. Leo can play in different positions and create chances for his teammates. It’s incomparable.”
Despite his high praise for Haaland, Guardiola admitted that the 23-year-old still has room for improvement.
“Of course, he can improve. The contract won’t make him better, it’s his confidence and his desire that will take him to the next level,” he said.
Super Eagles defender Calvin Bassey has opened up about a difficult period in his career, revealing that he almost stepped away from football.
Speaking during a recent interview, Bassey shared that he once made a personal promise to himself to quit pursuing football professionally if he failed to secure a spot at a professional club.
“I remember being 15 and going into my final year, and I told myself that if I didn’t get into a professional club, I would quit football. It was that simple,” he said.
“I would just stop pursuing it seriously and only play for fun. Thank God I eventually got a club, because I honestly don’t know where I would be otherwise.”
It has been reported that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) fined Egypt $5,000 following their clash with Zimbabwe for failing to manage post-match media obligations.
It was noted that after the match, the Egyptian players ignored the media. This action was said to be a violation of CAF’s media regulations, which led to the fine being imposed.
Head of the Super Eagles, Eric Chelle, shared that the big-name players on the team are not happy about being benched.
He recalled when he took out Samuel Chukwueze during the match against Tanzania.
“Yes, of course, we’ve in this team a lot of big names. They are competitors; they aren’t happy when they go to the bench,” Chelle said at his post-match interview.”
“My job is to make choices, and we’re playing a 4-4-2 diamond, and at this moment I feel we have to protect the wing.”
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