Erling Haaland is currently away with the Norwegian national team preparing for two upcoming friendlies against the Czech Republic and Slovakia during the March international break.
However, with the highly-anticipated Premier League showdown with leaders Arsenal looming, the Manchester City goalscoring machine made an honest admission about these two friendlies, scheduled for this Thursday and next Tuesday.
Speaking to Norwegian newspaper VG, the 23-year-old all but confirmed a perceived lack of importance for the upcoming fixtures in comparison to the ongoing Premier League season and the March 31 showdown with the North London giants.
"It's nice to play for the country. But it's different to face Arsenal next weekend versus the Czech Republic at home. I won't lie. There is a big difference," said Haaland.
"But what do you do? There are as many matches as possible in the calendar. That seems to be the goal."
Club vs. country remains a huge topic among football fans especially when Europe's top leagues pause for an international break. One of the biggest concerns with these breaks is player fitness, with Erling Haaland suffering an injury scare while with Norway.
The Premier League's top scorer limped out of training, sending Manchester City fans into panic. However, the striker appears to have avoided anything serious.
The Cityzens are currently third in the table but are only a point behind second-placed Liverpool and first-placed Arsenal. The last time a trailing Manchester City hosted a top-of-the-table Arsenal, Guardiola's men marched to an emphatic 4-1 victory that turned the tide of the title race.
Mikel Arteta's side have not dropped a single point in the league in 2024 and recently qualified for the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals since 2010. The reigning English champions, on the other hand, beat Newcastle just before the break to make the FA Cup semifinals and will be looking to keep this streak going.
