Guardiola: Haaland Demands a New Playbook, Not Messi’s Tricks
4 November 2025
Haaland’s role under Guardiola
City coach Pep Guardiola praised Erling Haaland ahead of the upcoming clash with Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League, the fourth group-stage game of the campaign.
He spoke at a press conference about his team’s preparations, his philosophy for managing a dense fixture list, Haaland’s situation against his former club, and his tactical approach to fatigue and schedule pressure.
Managing a heavy schedule and Haaland’s fit in the system
Guardiola began by explaining his decision to hold a morning training session on match day rather than the day before, saying, “We will train tomorrow morning, not today. This is not unusual; I’ve done it before in some occasions. The last match against Bournemouth was exhausting, and we preferred the players rest at home today, then start preparations tomorrow morning.”
He added that Dortmund had an extra day of rest, but that is normal. In Germany and France, clubs involved in the Champions League sometimes schedule local games to improve rest; he does not endorse it, but it happens.
On the idea of playing multiple matches at the team’s stadium, Guardiola said, “That is very important in all competitions. I don’t say the match will be easy, because Dortmund always bring their best in this tournament and reach the later rounds. But collecting nine more points would bring us closer to qualification, perhaps to the top eight.”
Guardiola noted that last season’s edition with the new format exposed injuries more than readiness: “Maybe I wasn’t clear when I said it before: our problem last year wasn’t readiness. We suffered injuries; half the squad was out for months, especially during congested periods.”
And: “We are ready for this system and for the traditional one too, but what we faced last year was a lack of players, which made things difficult.”
Regarding Haaland facing his former club Dortmund, Guardiola said: “It’s not the first time; we faced them when he was there. I think he will take part in the press conference, so it’s best to ask him directly.”
Haaland is not Messi
Guardiola explained that bringing in a false-nine option once used with Messi, Lewandowski, and Aguero, or even with Foden here, does not fit Haaland, a pure striker with different qualities. The system must adapt to his profile.
He spoke about the upcoming period: “After facing Liverpool I’ll get ten days off. International breaks come in September, October, and November. In England, November, December, January, and February are very tough. I’m not sure ‘excited’ is the right word, but it’s a period that demands a lot of effort. I’ve spent a decade here and I’m used to it.”
He continued: “We manage the intensity and fatigue. Playing once a week is very different from playing three times. It’s not only about minutes on the pitch, but minutes in meetings and physical preparation.”
From experience, teams that play every three or four days tend to be more prepared at kickoff, but sometimes need extra training to grasp tactical demands. You must always adapt.
On Haaland’s role among City’s leaders, Guardiola said: “It’s hard to find a world-class player with such humility who always thinks about the team’s interests. Strikers usually focus on scoring, which is natural, but this is different.”
“Haaland has signed a long-term contract, and the more he participates in multiple roles within the team, the better it is for him and the club.”
He added: “I always try to organize the squad so he doesn’t have to run too much. He is physically immense, and cannot play 90 minutes every three days with the same intensity. We try to control the tempo through possession and build-up play; that also reduces injuries. When defending is necessary, he does it and helps us a lot.”
Guardiola also discussed Yan Couto, the former City youngster who moved to Dortmund: “I’m happy for him. He joined us young after shining with Girona, and now he’s getting opportunities with Dortmund, a club that always gives chances to young talents. He’s one of those players, and I’m glad he’s performing well.”
He wrapped up by reflecting on Haaland’s personality and his activity on YouTube: “Haaland is part of the new generation. We’re from the old guard, and handling social media is different. The new generation grew up with it. He just has to be careful and not reveal too much, but it’s his life.”
Humor time: Haaland doesn’t just score—he files the calendar, too. Sniper jokes incoming: 1) If strategy were a sniper, Haaland would be the bullet; 2) Messi had magic, Haaland has a forklift—he lifts the defense and moves the goalposts. And yes, I promise this is the last joke before we let the football do the talking.
