Erling Haaland could hit 50 Premier League goals this season if he can stay fit, according to Manchester City team-mate Manuel Akanji.
The Norway international has demolished numerous records amid an incredible start to life in England, scoring 19 goals across 12 games in all competitions this term.
Haaland netted a brace in a 5-0 midweek thrashing of Copenhagen, taking him to 28 strikes in 22 appearances in the Champions League, a goals-per-game record of 1.27.
The 22-year-old next faces Southampton on Saturday after becoming the first player in Premier League history to score hat-tricks in three straight games following his last treble against Manchester United.
With 12 goals in eight league games, Haaland will eye the single-season top-flight records of Alan Shearer and Andy Cole, who both got 34 in a single campaign, and Akanji backed his colleague to keep firing.
Asked if Haaland could hit a half-century, Akanji responded: “If he stays healthy then I think there is nothing that can stop him, yes."
City have won their past eight Premier League home games, managing at least three goals each time, and could at least temporarily leapfrog leaders Arsenal with victory over Southampton.
Pep Guardiola's side have scored 29 goals after eight games, which is the joint-most at this stage of a Premier League campaign, and will be hoping Haaland can fire again to take them to the summit.
Kyle Walker-Peters will be one Saints defender aiming to stop the free-scoring Norwegian, though he thinks it is too early to draw comparisons between the City striker and Tottenham talisman Harry Kane.
"Come on," he told talkSPORT. "Harry Kane has done it for how many years in the Premier League?
“I think Haaland has had an absolutely unbelievable start. Some of the stats I’m seeing, it’s just ridiculous.
"But Kane has proven it for God knows how many years now. I don't think we can compare them just yet. Haaland is definitely hungry to prove to people he's better than him [Kane].
"And Kane will want to stay at the top. So they'll have a good battle for top goalscorer."
Sporting CP 2-0 Lille: England's Gomes sees red as hosts dominate
Viktor Gyokeres and Zeno Debast fired Sporting CP to a 2-0 Champions League win over Lille on Tuesday, after Angel Gomes' sending-off reduced the French side to 10 men.
Sporting created a number of good chances in the first half but were kept at bay by Lille goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, until Gyokeres latched onto a delightful pass from Pedro Goncalves to open the scoring in the 38th minute.
Two minutes later, Lille were reduced to 10 men when England international Gomes was shown a second yellow card for tripping Gyokeres, having earlier been booked for a push on Francisco Trincao.
In the second half, Debast unleashed a superb long-range effort into the top-right corner to seal victory for the home side.
The Portuguese club are sixth in the early Champions League standings and face PSV in their next European game on October 1.
Data Debrief: Gomes joins unwanted club
Gomes made a fine impact after being called up by interim England coach Lee Carsley for Nations League wins over the Republic of Ireland and Finland earlier this month.
However, he was brought back down to earth as his red card proved costly on Tuesday, becoming just the fourth Englishman to be sent off while representing a non-English club in the Champions League.
Mark Hateley for Rangers, Paul Gascoigne twice for the same club, Matt Derbyshire for Olympiakos and Fikayo Tomori for Milan are the others to do so.
Girona veteran Stuani merits Champions League dream against PSG, says Michel
Girona captain Cristhian Stuani deserves more than anyone to be in the team for the side's first-ever Champions League game on Wednesday against Paris Saint-Germain, head coach Michel said.
Michel promised the 37-year-old striker that he would give him the captain's armband when they play in the Champions League after he grabbed an injury-time winner against Real Betis in March.
Girona, who had never qualified for Europe's top club competition in their 94-year history, finally secured a place in the Champions League by finishing third in the LaLiga standings last season.
"Stuani deserves to be in the starting eleven. He has been wearing this shirt for many years. He deserves it more than anyone," Sanchez told reporters on Tuesday.
"The reality is that last year we did things spectacularly. We have arrived at a place that we deserve. We are excited, motivated.
"It's a dream and you have to enjoy it. The growth of this club is demonstrated by moments like this. We have to give our version and enjoy ourselves."
Stuani will be aged 37 years and 342 days on the day of this game and would be the second-oldest outfield debutant in Champions League history, behind Anastasios Mitropoulos (40 years, 109 days) who made a brief substitute appearance for Olympiakos against Rosenborg in December 1997.
Uruguay international Stuani said it would be a dream come true to play in the competition with the club he joined in 2017.
"It is a pride and an honour to be part of all this. It's very special. Not only because of what it means for Girona to play in the Champions League," Stuani said.
"I'm lucky and it's a privilege to be able to enjoy a game like this. It's a dream day and I'm going to achieve it with the club of my life."
The last Spanish side to debut in the competition was Malaga back in the 2012-13 campaign, while each of the last three debuting Spanish sides have gone on to make the knockout stages (Villarreal in 2005-06, Sevilla in 2007-08 and Malaga in 2012-13).
However, only one of the last 28 teams travelling away to PSG for the first time in the Champions League have come away with a victory (D8 L19), with Manchester United winning 3-1 in March 2019.
Real Madrid 3-1 Stuttgart: Rudiger and Endrick goals give holders nervy win
Real Madrid started their Champions League title defence with a hard-fought 3-1 home win over Stuttgart on Tuesday, with late goals from Antonio Rudiger and Endrick guiding them to victory.
Last season's Bundesliga runners-up Stuttgart were arguably the better side for long periods at a sold-out Santiago Bernabeu stadium, threatening a huge upset of the 15-time European champions.
Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a string of critical saves to keep Madrid level, keeping out Jamie Leweling and Angelo Stiller before half-time.
Dani Carvajal also diverted a Deniz Undav shot against his own crossbar as Los Blancos rode their luck, but Kylian Mbappe drew first blood shortly after the restart, finishing from close range after Rodrygo led a quick counterattack.
Stuttgart refused to go away, though, and they looked like clinching a famous result when Undav equalised in the 68th minute, heading Leweling's cross home when totally unmarked at the far post.
However, yet another Madrid late show in Europe saw them snatch all three points, Rudiger heading Luka Modric's corner home in the 83rd minute.
Carlo Ancelotti's side then made sure of the result in stoppage time, Endrick catching Alexander Nubel out from range to score his first Champions League goal.
Data Debrief: Blancos draw on blend of youth and experience
Two players at opposite ends of the age spectrum helped Madrid get over the line after an energetic Stuttgart side threatened to make major headlines at the Bernabeu.
Modric came off the bench with Los Blancos toiling at 1-1, quickly teeing up Rudiger's go-ahead goal with an expertly taken corner-kick.
At the age of 39 years and eight days, he is the third-oldest player to record an assist in the Champions League, after Ryan Giggs (39 years, 363 days in 2013 for Manchester United versus Bayer Leverkusen) and Amadeo Carboni (39 years, 176 days in 2004 for Valencia against Werder Bremen).
Endrick, meanwhile, became the youngest South American to net on his Champions League debut, at the age of 18 years and 58 days.
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