Erling Haaland, a striker for Manchester City, has acknowledged that he is feeling the burden of serving as the group's talisman as they attempt to end their protracted drought in the Champions League.
City has gained a new edge this season thanks to the Premier League's top scorer, and Pep Guardiola's team is favored to win the one title that has eluded them for years when they face Inter in the championship game on Saturday.
The gravity of the challenge at hand is not lost on Haaland; in addition to the Champions League trophy, City is vying for the fabled triple that has only ever been brought back to England by rivals Manchester United.
"Of course I feel pressure," he admitted. "If I said I didn't, I'd be lying.
"They won every prize without me, including the Premier League. I will try my best to do something that the club has never done before while I'm here.
By his standards, Haaland is entering the game with a scoring slump that is nearly unbelievable. Despite the fact that he has only scored once in his past seven games across all competitions, Haaland said he is relishing the criticism that is being leveled at him.
I don't read anything because I believe that if I read everything that everyone writes, my head would go a little bonkers, he remarked. "I am unable to do that, but of course, I am able to get stuff, and it is even better to score in the following game.
"I believe that when people start criticizing you, it's usually a positive thing. People began to criticize me after I scored in every game. Basically, that's what happened. You should simply try to grin a little and take life as it comes when people criticize you.
"You might consider it to be one goal in seven games or, I believe, 52 goals in 52 games and eight assists. You can approach it in either manner. I'm not anxious. I feel fantastic.
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