Erling Haaland makes more history as Man City run riot against Slovan Bratislava

Manchester City produced a demolition by the Danube to secure their first Champions League win this season.

In a mismatch of embarrassing proportions for UEFA, the champions of England left the champions of Slovakia wishing they hadn't qualified for the competition in the first place. Bratislava is known as the 'Little Big City'.

And it was blindingly obvious who were the giants and minnows in the Slovakian on Tuesday. To put the game into context, the biggest transfer fee Slovan Bratislava have ever paid is just £850,000, which Erling Haaland earns in less than three weeks.

So it came as no surprise when Pep Guardiola 's superstars ran riot to secure three of the easiest points in their European history. This might have been City's first ever game in Slovakia, but it was the hosts' first home match in club football's greatest competition.

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And the Slovakian novices had to get through eight games and four qualifying rounds just to book a place in the league phase. Which made them huge underdogs against the 2023 winners.

Not that any of this stopped Guardiola from naming a strong side, despite making six changes. Which included the likes of Haaland, Ilkay Gundogan and Phil Foden, who made just his second start of the season following niggling injuries and illness.

Matheus Nunes had the onerous task of filling the boots of the missing Rodri. It was obvious Guardiola was keen to secure a thumping win, to make amends for drawing at home to Inter Milan in the opening game of this revamped competition.

But it was the home side which almost took the lead inside the opening two minutes, when Marko Tolic lashed a shot inches wide following a rapid break. It was the highlight of Bratislava's evening, with City going ahead six minutes later to begin the onslaught.

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Jeremy Doku found space on the right and when he picked out Gundogan, the City captain lashed a deflected volley past Dominik Takac. It was his first goal since returning to the club from Barcelona.

City doubled their lead on 15 minutes when Doku teed-up Foden, who curled a delightful strike into the bottom corner. The game was over as a contest, if it had ever been one in the first place.

It felt like a bit of a farce instead, because Guardiola's men looked like scoring at will and queued up to do so. Doku, Foden and Gundogan all hit the woodwork, while Takac denied Rico Lewis and Haaland.

It was like watching a cat maul a ball of wool, and Guardiola might as well have lit up a cigar in the dugout. There was nothing Bratislava could do about it.

City had 13 attempts on goal before half time, and the only shock was it remained 2-0 and Haaland hadn't scored. It was so one-sided, referee Filippo Meli refused to play any stoppage time before the break, just to put the hosts out of their misery.

‌Haaland eventually joined in the fun to notch his 42nd Champions League goal in just 41 games, to leapfrog City legend Sergio Aguero on the all-time list. Before substitute James McAtee made it 4-0 with his first ever City goal. But somehow Bratislava were spared more pain on a night when, had City been more clinical, it could have been double figures.

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