THE local paper previewed this tie by warning Sevilla ‘A monster is coming to see you’.
Another ran the headline ‘El Coco’ – a reference to a mythical Spanish bogeyman who comes to visit naughty children.
The Spanish club are absolutely scared stiff of Erling Haaland – and no wonder.
He scored four goals against them over a two-legged knock out tie for old club Borussia Dortmund in this competition early in 2021.
And he was at it again on Tuesday night – marking his Champions League debut for Manchester City in the only way he knows – by scoring goals.
He struck after 20 minutes and again midway through the second half to take his tally to an incredible 12 in his first seven games for his new club.
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
Sevilla won’t be the only club who are afraid of the £51million ace right now. Defences at home and on the continent will be terrified of facing him in this kind of form.
The 22-year-old loves this competition – he even has the famous theme tune as his morning alarm call.
And in the famous Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, he sounded a warning that will reverberate around Europe.
Sevilla finished fourth last season but have endured a difficult start to the current campaign – losing three of their first four matches.
Most read in Football
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
That has put the coach Julen Lopetegui under some pressure just a couple of months after he was persuaded not to walk out.
After a heavy defeat to Barcelona here on Saturday, the former Spain boss really needed to avoid a similar result here.
He fielded a team packed full of experience – so full in fact it was the oldest average age in this competition in over a year.
Pep Guardiola had to field a new look defence which featured both his recent signings Manuel Akanji and Sergio Gomez.
There was also a return to the starting line-up for record signing Jack Grealish after injury.
Yet all eyes were on Haaland, who has made such an explosive start to his City career with 10 goals in his first six Premier League matches.
We already knew he could do it in Europe too – his 23 goals in 19 games before this were more than any other player of his age.
The Norwegian had the first opening of the night as he got away from his marker to get to a Kevin de Bruyne cross but his header was wide of the far post.
Grealish fired a shot into the side-netting while KdB blasted a couple of efforts well off target and it was all starting to look a bit ominous for the home side.
And sure enough the breakthrough came after just 20 minutes as Phil Foden sent skipper for the night De Bruyne away down the right.
He fizzed over a cross and Haaland stuck out one of those long legs to divert the ball into the empty net.
That makes him only the fourth player to score on his Champions League debut for at least three different clubs – following Fernando Morientes, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Javier Saviola.
Already he is 37th on the list of all-time leading goalscorers in this competition – and he only turned 22 in July.
More chances came City’s way with De Bruyne curling a free-kick narrowly wide and Haaland bringing a sharp save out of Bono with a shot from a narrow angle.
Seville had their first big chance shortly before the break as Thomas Delaney teed up Papu Gomez but he sliced his effort high and wide.
Yet the English champions – starting their 12th straight season in this competition – had looked very comfortable for most of the first half.
For Guardiola – who is beginning his seventh attempt at bringing Europe’s biggest prize to the Etihad – it was just the kind of start he must have wished for.
Sevilla’s spirited start to the second half meant they left gaps at the back.
De Bruyne pounced on a loose pass and swapped passes with Haaland but was denied by a brilliant save from Bono as he went through on goal.
However, Foden made the game safe as he collected a pass from Joao Cancelo and shimmied one way then the other before firing a low shot into the corner from the edge of the box.
With two boyhood Blues scoring the goals, it was shaping up to be the perfect night for City.
Foden was at it again nine minutes later as his low shot was tipped away by Bono and there was you know who to tap home the rebound.
Guardiola denied him the chance to claim a third hat-trick in four matches – replacing his new boy 20 minutes from time but the damage was already done.
The previous best goal tally in the first 20 games of a Champions League career was set by Ruud van Nistelrooy and Robert Soldado who both managed 16.
Haaland now has 25.
Read More on The Sun
If City can’t win the trophy with this guy in their already outstanding team then surely they never will.
There was even time for a fourth deep into stoppage team as Cancelo’s low cross was turned in by fellow defender Ruben Dias for his first goal in the competition.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
