Manchester City defender Rico Lewis praised Erling Haaland and sent warning to defenders in the Premier League and in Europe, stating that it’s impossible to defend against the striker.
He heaped praise on his teammate after the Norwegian striker continued his sensational goalscoring form in City’s 2-0 victory over Villarreal in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night.
Haaland, who has been in devastating touch this season, struck the opener at the Estadi de la Ceràmica after a fine assist from Lewis — who featured unusually high up the pitch in an advanced midfield role as Pep Guardiola rotated his squad for the group-stage encounter.
City’s dominance was later sealed by Bernardo Silva’s well-taken header in the 40th minute, ensuring the Premier League champions left Spain with all three points and another clean sheet.
The result marked another important step for Guardiola’s side as they look to make amends for their early exit in last season’s Champions League campaign.
The win also extended Manchester City’s unbeaten streak across all competitions since the end of August. Having suffered early-season setbacks with consecutive league defeats to Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton, City have since rediscovered their rhythm and now sit second in the Premier League table.
Following the latest triumph in Europe, City have collected seven points from their opening three group games, positioning themselves strongly for a place in the knockout stages. Much of their current resurgence, however, has been driven by one man — Erling Braut Haaland.
The Norwegian forward has been unrelenting in front of goal, scoring his 22nd goal of the campaign for club and country against Villarreal. His consistency, power, and presence continue to make him one of the most feared forwards in world football, as he maintains a relentless pursuit of records on both domestic and continental fronts.
Lewis on Haaland’s impact, sends warning to defenders
Despite Haaland’s individual brilliance, Pep Guardiola has voiced concerns about City’s growing dependency on their No. 9 to deliver match-winning moments, particularly with goals becoming harder to find from midfield and the wings following a quiet transfer window.
Rico Lewis, however, believes Haaland has become impossible player to stop by defenders and commended his impact on the pitch. According to Cityxtra, speaking to TNT Sports after the match, the 20-year-old said:
“It’s impossible to defend – credit to him, he’s such a hard worker and never stops wanting to score and you can see that.”
“It’s impossible (to describe) it’s amazing to play with him. It helps more than you think; he draws so many defenders, frees up other people.”
Despite that he was instrumental in setting up the striker’s first-half strike, Rico Lewis praised Erling Haaland to on the his work ethic and hunger.
The England U21 international also reflected on City’s growing confidence since their early-season struggles, suggesting that belief within the squad has been key to their revival.
“We’ve got our confidence back, that’s the main thing. When you’re playing with confidence, there’s nothing really that can stop you but yourself.
Everyone trusts each other, and you see the players who played today; everyone’s got trust, we all want the ball, and there’s nothing better than all of us having each other.”
City’s overall performance against Villarreal showcased the blend of control, structure, and determination that Guardiola demands.
Lewis admitted there were still areas for improvement but insisted the team’s ambition to go all the way in Europe remains strong.
“We felt in control for most of it. There’s always better things we can do and we felt they had a few spells we could’ve stopped them from having if we were a bit better on the ball at times.
“But we’ve got to be harsh on ourselves, we want to win the UEFA Champions League and we look at the good and bad things. But we’re happy with the clean sheet and win.”
City building momentum, ready to challenge for trophies again
The result in Spain extends City’s positive momentum at a crucial point in the season. Guardiola’s side appear to have put their early inconsistencies behind them, with a renewed sense of unity and purpose evident in recent weeks.
Lewis’s evolution from a defensive role into a versatile midfielder highlights Guardiola’s tactical adaptability and faith in young players.
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His ability to contribute both defensively and creatively was on full display against Villarreal, where his assist for Haaland demonstrated composure and maturity beyond his years.
Haaland’s goal, meanwhile, once again underlined his lethal instinct. The Norwegian striker continues to rewrite records with a frequency that defies belief.
His combination of physicality, movement, and finishing has turned him into City’s ultimate weapon — and as Lewis admits, defending against him is “impossible.”
