Liam Duckstein
Erling Haaland cut a frustrated figure as Manchester City’s Champions League struggles on the road continued in a 2-2 draw against Monaco at the Stade Louis II. Despite the Norwegian’s brace, City once again failed to hold their advantage away from home in Europe.
Haaland’s Double Not Enough
The 23-year-old striker struck twice to move his season tally to 17 goals in just 10 appearances across all competitions. Yet Monaco, buoyed by their home crowd, fought back with a thunderbolt from Jordan Teze before Eric Dier’s late penalty salvaged a point for the Ligue 1 side.
“I’m p*ssed off, I think everyone should be. It’s not good enough,” Haaland admitted in a blunt post-match interview. His frustration mirrored the mood of the travelling City supporters, who watched their side squander another European lead.
A Year Without an Away Win
The result means City have now gone a full year without an away victory in the Champions League. While the draw at least ended a run of four straight away defeats in Europe, Pep Guardiola’s side are still chasing consistency on the continental stage.
Last season’s group-stage collapse remains fresh in memory, when City scraped through to the play-off round before being dismantled 6-3 on aggregate by Real Madrid. For a club with City’s ambitions, that record is simply unacceptable.
Haaland Calls for Energy and Control
Haaland was particularly critical of City’s second-half approach, suggesting the team sat back too early instead of pushing for a killer third goal. “We need more energy. We need to get at them more, as we did in the first half when we dominated much more,” he insisted.
The stats back him up: City registered only two shots after the interval compared to Monaco’s six. By retreating deeper, Guardiola’s men surrendered midfield control and invited pressure—a tactical flaw Haaland was quick to highlight.
Tough Road Ahead
City sit eighth in the Champions League table with four points from their opening two games. The road ahead looks challenging, with away trips to Villarreal and Real Madrid, plus home clashes against Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund still to come.
If Guardiola’s side are to mount a serious European charge, they’ll need to rediscover their usual intensity away from the Etihad. For Haaland, the message is clear: City can’t afford to play cautiously if they want to finally conquer Europe.