Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola has responded to the growing criticism of Erling Haaland amid the team’s disappointing recent results. The Spanish manager said the Norwegian striker doesn’t have to apologize to anyone, because he is giving everything on the pitch and has not stopped fighting.
Guardiola cooled the debate around Haaland and framed the issue from a team perspective: if City are not winning, it is unfair to pin it on one player. He stressed that both defeats and draws are the responsibility of the whole team, not a single footballer.
— Erling shouldn’t apologize to anyone. He’s doing everything he can and hasn’t stopped working. If the team doesn’t win, it’s not one player’s fault—it’s everyone’s responsibility. You only apologize when you’re not giving your maximum. That’s not the case with Erling right now, so there’s no need to apologize, — Guardiola said.
For context, Manchester City have faced a run of tough matches across competitions this season. In their last seven games in the Premier League, the UEFA Champions League and domestic cups, the Citizens recorded two defeats and three draws. Their two wins came in cup fixtures.
At the same time, Haaland’s own goal drought over the last few matches has been widely discussed. Some experts argue that the 25-year-old scorer has not fully regained his optimal fitness yet, which has reduced his usual efficiency.
Guardiola’s stance is clear: Haaland is still fully committed to the team—goals aren’t the only thing that matters; duels, pressing and movement are crucial too. City will try to stick together as a unit in this difficult spell and get results back on track.
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