Manchester City head coach Enzo Maresca has spoken about Erling Haaland's development ahead of the team's opening match in the 2026/27 UEFA Champions League league phase against Porto.
As reported by İdman.Biz, Maresca was asked to compare the Norwegian striker he first encountered at the club with the player he is today. The coach emphasized that fatherhood has brought significant changes to Haaland's life and priorities.
"Now he is a grown man, he is a father. When he arrived here, he was not a father yet. Now his life has changed, his priorities have completely shifted.
I am happy for him - he was already the best player and a great guy. But now you can see that he has reached maturity. He is a family man and still continues to score goals. I am very happy for him," Maresca was quoted as saying by Manchester City's press service.
Haaland remains one of the central figures in City's attack, with his goalscoring ability expected to play an important role in the club's European campaign. The Norwegian has established himself as one of the most prolific forwards in world football since joining the English side.
Porto will host Manchester City on September 8, with kick-off scheduled for 23:00 Baku time (22:00 Moscow time).
