LONODN: Ever since he watched Manchester United overcome Chelsea on penalties in the 2008 final, Erling Haaland has been in love with the Champions League.
So much so that the striker was caught on video listening to the tournament鈥檚 anthem in his car while at Red Bull Salzburg and also used it as his wake-up alarm.
Haaland dreamed of playing and scoring in the competition 鈥� and winning it.
Manchester City bought the 22-year-old last summer from Borussia Dortmund for 拢52 million ($65 million) and tasked him to help them finally win European football鈥檚 biggest prize, having won every major domestic trophy.
鈥淚 have been coming here for a reason,鈥� said Haaland.
But in a surprising confession, he says he feels 鈥減ressure鈥� to help deliver that elusive first success 鈥� craved by the club鈥檚 Abu Dhabi owners since their 2008 takeover.
The Norwegian has had an incredible debut season with the Etihad outfit, scoring a record-breaking 52 goals.
Having helped City win the Premier League for a third successive campaign, Haaland was seen shouting 鈥渙ne more鈥� when the side beat Manchester United 2-1 in last weekend鈥檚 FA Cup final at Wembley.
That one more is the Champions League, with Saturday鈥檚 final against three-time winners Inter Milan giving an opportunity for City to become only the 10th European club to win such a treble.
The victors would also get a place in the FIFA Club World Cup, to be held in 萝莉视频 in December, and Haaland said: 鈥淚t would mean everything, of course (to win it).
鈥淥f course I feel pressure. I would lie if I said I didn鈥檛. You say it yourself and it鈥檚 true 鈥� they won the Premier League without me, they won every trophy without me,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o I鈥檓 here to try to do a thing that the club has never done before and I鈥檒l do my best.鈥�
Haaland says he did not consider this scenario at the start of the season.
鈥淏ut, again, when you look at the team, how close they鈥檝e been with every single trophy every single season, it鈥檚 not like it鈥檚 been not possible.
鈥淲e have been believing in ourselves ever since I came here. Just one game left 鈥� I don鈥檛 know what more to say. We have to play at our best to really have a chance.鈥�
Haaland says he had belief in his ability even when he missed chances and failed to score on his debut in the FA Community Shield back in August as Liverpool beat City 3-1.
Immediately he came under scrutiny and questions were asked how he could complement a side that had won four Premier League titles in four of the previous five seasons.
The same was said of Jack Grealish, who has now flourished after a difficult opening season following his $126 million move from Aston Villa.
With a hearty laugh and a nod to their contrasting fortunes, Haaland added: 鈥淚 told Jack sometimes players need maybe a year or something to come into the new league and new team and everything 鈥� and sometimes players come directly in and perform鈥� I told him this.
鈥淪o, yeah, that was one game, Community Shield, I missed a couple of big chances. It can happen, it will happen again. What can you do? Nothing.
鈥淲e have to focus on the next thing, the next game and that鈥檚 what I did.
鈥淚 think often it鈥檚 a good thing when people start criticizing you. I scored every single game and then people started criticizing me 鈥� that鈥檚 what happened, basically.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 read anything because I think my brain would be a bit crazy if I was reading everything everyone is writing. I cannot do that but of course I get things with me and then it was even better to score two goals in the next game (at West Ham).
鈥淲hen people criticize you it鈥檚 normally a good thing, it鈥檚 just about trying to smile a bit and enjoy life.鈥�
While the criticism may have motivated Haaland, he admits he is part of a 鈥渟pecial鈥� squad who have helped him reach such lofty heights.
He has also thrived under the tutelage of Pep Guardiola 鈥� who is chasing a third Champions League after managing Barcelona to triumphs in 2009 and 2011.
鈥淗e is a detail freak,鈥� added Leeds-born Haaland, whose dad Alf-Inge Haaland played for both Leeds and City. 鈥淚 am really enjoying every single day with him, with the intense Pep 鈥� I like it. It is about the small details, keep on developing.
鈥淚 am still young, I can improve a lot and I am at the perfect place, to work with the best coach and players in the world.鈥�
Haaland has fitted in perfectly with City鈥檚 talented and ambitious group and picked up Player of the Year awards aplenty.
He bettered the Premier League record of 34 goals, set by Alan Shearer and Andy Cole, with his tally of 36, has scored 12 times in 10 Champions League games and netted six hat tricks in all competitions.
Haaland says he set no goal targets at the start of the season, nor is he thinking about winning the Ballon d鈥橭r this year, but admitted: 鈥淣o, I didn鈥檛 expect to score this many goals but, again, I could have scored more.
鈥淚鈥檝e been missing a lot of chances, so I could have scored more 鈥� that鈥檚 the truth.鈥�
His last goal came at Everton on May 14 but, with another smile and twinkle in his eye, he added: 鈥淵ou can think of it as one goal in seven games or 52 goals in 52 games and eight assists.
鈥淵ou can think of it in both ways, I鈥檓 not stressed. I feel really good.鈥�
It will feel even better if he 鈥� and City 鈥� are crowned kings of Europe.