Manchester City’s opening Champions League match against Porto at the Estádio do Dragão on Tuesday was marked by tension and physicality. The game, part of the new league phase, saw a heated exchange between Erling Haaland and Porto’s Rosario deep into stoppage time, following an earlier scuffle in the tunnel at half-time.
The confrontation erupted moments after Haaland sealed the win for City with his second goal of the match. The Norwegian striker was fouled by Rosario, sparking another altercation, and both players received yellow cards. However, Haaland hinted that there was more to the incident.
Haaland’s Post-Match Comments
Speaking to Norwegian channel TV 2, Haaland said: “I was really determined to score a hat-trick, and it seemed like he (Rosario) was very eager to stop me from doing that. It was kind of interesting.”
He added, in comments reported by the British news agency PA Media: “You’ll see a picture where he’s grabbing my backside. It will be interesting to see that picture.”
UEFA Awaiting Reports
Manchester City are waiting to see if UEFA will take any action following a series of tense events, the most serious of which occurred as players left the pitch at half-time. Porto were furious that City’s Mark Gehi was not sent off after catching Gabri Veiga in the head with his arm while jumping for a header late in the first half.
A scuffle broke out immediately, with Porto players arguing with the match officials and Manchester City players. The tension did not subside until the break. The altercations continued as players exited the field, with reports of a crush in the tunnel leading to the dressing rooms, and security personnel intervening to prevent the situation from escalating.
Footage showed City captain Rúben Dias placing his hand on Porto coach Francisco Farioli’s chest as they reached the tunnel. UEFA is awaiting reports from Polish referee Szymon Marciniak, who officiated the match, and match observer Stephanie Ford before deciding whether to open disciplinary proceedings. City could face a fine if any action is taken.
Farioli’s View on the Refereeing Decisions
Despite City deserving the win, Farioli suggested the result could have been different if the opposition had been forced to play with ten men. He said: “The footage of the foul on Gabri Veiga is very clear, and a second yellow card should also have been shown to (Josko) Gvardiol, the English team’s player, because he acted unsportingly despite already being on a yellow card.”
He added: “At this level, and playing against ten men for the entire second half, things could have been different.”
He continued: “He (Marciniak) is a world-class referee and I respect him, but when an opponent charges with his elbow and it causes bleeding, there’s no need for much talk. We all make mistakes.”
Haaland rose above the tense atmosphere between the halves to give City the lead with a header in the 47th minute, which provoked a strong response from Porto, who created several clear chances before Haaland ultimately settled matters with his second goal for the visitors.