Man City vs. Dortmund: “Humble” Erling Haaland out to break fresh Champions League scoring record

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland will break a fresh Champions League scoring record if he finds the net against his former club Borussia Dortmund at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night.

Even by his exceptionally high standards, the Norwegian has made a phenomenal start to the 2025-26 season in front of goal, scoring 26 goals in just 16 games for club and country.

Haaland’s impressive 12-game scoring streak in all competitions came to an end when he drew a blank in City’s 1-0 Premier League loss at Aston Villa, but he needed just 33 minutes to score a first-half brace in last weekend’s 3-1 victory against Bournemouth.

Man City’s No.9 has scored a Premier League-high 13 goals in just 10 games so far this season, while he has also scored four goals across his opening three Champions League outings, including the opener in the Citizens’ 2-0 win at Villarreal a fortnight ago.

At the age of just 25, Haaland currently sits 10th on the all-time top scorer list for the Champions League having netted 53 goals in just 51 games, breaking a plethora of records in the process.

Since joining Man City in 2022, Haaland has scored 32 Champions League goals for the club, while the remaining 19 goals were netted during spells at his previous clubs Borussia Dortmund (13) and Red Bull Salzburg (six).

Haaland can break fresh UCL scoring record against former club Dortmund

Haaland has traditionally made a fast start in front of goal in the Champions League and if he makes the net ripple against Dortmund on Wednesday, he will become the first player in the competition’s history to score in five consecutive appearances for as many as three different teams.

The striker has netted in each of his last four Champions League outings for Man City (scoring six in total), and previously enjoyed scoring streaks of at least five matches with Salzburg (November 2019, five games) and Dortmund (March 2021, six games).

Ahead of Wednesday’s “special game” against his former club, Haaland has insisted that he is not thinking about breaking any specific goalscoring records and continues to take a game-by-game approach.

"Which record? Not to sound arrogant,” Haaland jokingly replied when asked at a press conference on Tuesday whether he can surpass his current record for goals in a single season.

"I had 57 in total, including with the national team [in the 2022-23 season]. I am in a good way, but I don't think of this."

"Yes, definitely [my approach is game-by-game]. Two days ago we had a game and that's history now. We need to focus on tomorrow and that's how my brain works. That's how I need to think because I cannot think too much. I need to think in the present."

He added: “I still have a few friends (at Dortmund). A lot in the staff still and people I still speak with. I had an amazing time in Dortmund. It is an amazing club with amazing people.

“I have just good things to say about them. When I think back of all my memories, there are so many good ones in those two-and-a-half years. It is a special game."

“Incredibly humble” Haaland “always wants what’s best for the team”

Manager Pep Guardiola has once again heaped praise on his leading marksman, telling reporters: “It’s difficult to find a real world-class player who is incredibly humble and thinking what is best for the team.

“I know he wants to score goals, but I have the feeling he always wants what is best for the team, and that is difficult to find.

“He has this ability, talent, kindness, whatever you want to say. Of course he has to score goals, that’s the best way to help us, that is perfectly clear, but he signed a contract for 10 years and he is involved in many things. We will be there.”

In response to Guardiola's comments on staying humble, Haaland said: "Not for me, it is completely normal. I am a Norwegian guy and I shouldn't think I am something because I am scoring goals. I am just Erling and this is something that will never change."

Haaland will be looking to score against Dortmund for the second time as a Man City player at the Etihad, having previously netted a brilliant acrobatic match-winner in a 2-1 home victory in the 2022-23 Champions League group stage before the Citizens went onto win a historic treble.