Erling Haaland has insisted he does not regret his actions during the powder keg match between Manchester City and Arsenal when he threw a ball at Gabriel Magalhaes’ head.
Haaland bounced the ball to Gabriel after John Stones’ last-gasp equalizer at the Etihad Stadium last month, which was just one of the flashpoints in a fiery 2-2 draw between the two Premier League title rivals.
Gabriel responded by declaring it a ‘war’ between the two clubs, saying: ‘Now we are waiting for them on our ground.’
Haaland, who will captain Norway against Slovenia and Austria this week in the absence of Martin Odegaard, also collided with Mikel Arteta after the final whistle.
“I don’t have many regrets in life,” Haaland said. “In the heat of the moment, things happened in that match. What happens on the field stays on the field. That’s how it is.”
Haaland has also backed his City teammate Rodri, who suggested players could go on strike in protest at the busy fixture list. The 24-year-old says there is too much football and he has taken advantage of a summer off as Norway failed to qualify for Euro 2024.
“I have a lot more energy, both on and off the field. My head is more rested,” Haaland said. “It’s more important than people think to take a break from work, whatever you do, especially if there is a lot of physical strain involved. It will be exciting to see how long I get a break next summer.
“It’s starting to become a lot of competitions, I think it has been for a few years now. The Premier League started four years ago with a winter break, which we will not see again. There have been too many matches for years, not just after the new Champions League format. It’s nothing new, but it’s becoming a lot.”
Haaland is one goal behind Jorgen Juve’s Norwegian record of 33 and insists he has not considered how long he will continue playing for his country.
“It will be nice to beat it one day,” he said. “I didn’t think about that [international retirement] yet. Some of you have tried to paint a picture that I don’t want to play for the national team, but you can bury that now.
“You can see how much I love playing for the national team. I really enjoy it.”
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