Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says striker Erling Haaland is beginning to deserve comparisons with Lionel Messi.
Haaland reached 50 goals in all competitions with a penalty against Fulham on Sunday, a goal which also matched the Premier League record of 34 goals in a single campaign set by Andrew Cole and Alan Shearer.
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Guardiola insists Messi’s longevity at the top still sets him apart but says he understands the comparisons because of Haaland’s numbers this season.
“No one can compare with Messi, it will not help Erling, but in terms of goals and mentality, yeah,” Guardiola, who coached Messi for four years while at Barcelona, told a news conference on Tuesday.
“Messi has done it every season in the last 10 or 15 seasons, but Erling has got to the same level in terms of goals. It’s almost every game, he scores a goal.
“One or two every game, he had the chances to do it but Messi is the most complete player I have seen in terms of vision, dribbles, passes, competitiveness, in many things that are difficult.
“Hopefully Erling can be so close like [to] Leo, that will be great for us and him.”
