In UEFA Champions League Round 4, Manchester City, one of the title favorites, suffered a 1-4 loss away to Sporting CP, marking their first defeat in this season’s tournament!
Sporting Lisbon 4-1 Manchester City
Swedish striker Viktor Gyökeres was the star for Sporting, netting a hat trick and propelling his team to victory.
With 23 goals this season, Gyökeres is sure to draw interest from top European clubs in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Hat trick hero!
Last season, Gyökeres scored 43 goals and provided 14 assists over 50 games, leading Sporting to the league title and securing the Portuguese league’s Golden Boot and Player of the Season honors.
This year, he has continued his impressive form with 20 goals in the Champions League alone.
Battle between Gyökeres and Haaland
His duel with Manchester City was also seen as a head-to-head, if indirect, with Erling Haaland.
While he may not yet have Haaland’s accolades, Gyökeres was the clear winner in this matchup.
Gyökeres in action
Following an early goal by Phil Foden, Gyökeres equalized in the 38th minute with a well-placed finish.
Gyökeres scored the equaliser!
Sporting then scored twice more within three minutes early in the second half, with Gyökeres converting a critical penalty.
Gyökeres found his 2nd goal through penalty
Later, Haaland missed his own penalty by hitting the crossbar, while Gyökeres completed his hat trick in the 80th minute—becoming the second Swedish player after Zlatan Ibrahimović to score a Champions League hat trick.
Haaland miss the penalty!
Gyökeres’s remarkable efficiency this season is clear, with 23 goals and 4 assists in just 16 appearances, placing him atop the global scoring leaderboard with 53 goals in 2023.
Gyökeres completed his hat trick!
Not only is he a precise finisher, but he also boasts speed, strength, and tactical versatility, making him a prime target for top clubs.
Player of the match!
With a €100 million release clause, and his former coach Rúben Amorim now managing Manchester United, it remains to be seen if United could leverage this connection to secure the Swedish sensation.
