MANCHESTER — If Young Boys' 3-0 loss to Manchester City on Tuesday was not humbling enough, manager Raphael Wicky said he would need to speak with Mohamed Ali Camara after learning his captain had asked City striker Erling Haaland for his coveted shirt -- at halftime.
Haaland shirt swap at halftime
Erling Haaland gives Young Boys' Mohamed Ali Camara his shirt at halftime. pic.twitter.com/jDqp3jC0vj
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) November 7, 2023
"I didn't see that, that's news to me and I'm little bit surprised by that right now," Wicky told reporters after the game.
"On the other hand, I don't think it had anything to do with the game or the performance but I'll probably have a word with him and see what he thought.
"Maybe Erling asked him to swap, I don't know!"
The Young Boys player was spotted approaching Haaland, who had already scored one of his two goals by then, as they headed to the tunnel and the two swapped shirts.
It is not uncommon for players to trade shirts at fulltime, as many City and Young Boys players did at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, but halftime exchanges are rare and often incur the wrath of fans who feel it out of place in the heat of battle.
Former City player Keith Curle told Sky Sports he would "be raging" as a manager.
City manager Pep Guardiola said the swap did not bother him.
"I don't know about it," he said. "We win 3-0. It happened, I don't know the reason why."
"Maybe Erling asked for his shirt"
Swapping shirts at half-time - OK or not OK?Mohamed Ali Camara asked Erling Haaland for his last night...
Young Boys' manager: "I'm surprised"
Pep: "It's not normal" ♂️ pic.twitter.com/I9gjYnPHH7
— Match of the Day (@BBCMOTD) November 8, 2023
Why not, if I was in Young Boys I would too
— Streplic (@Streplic) November 7, 2023
A player should be focused on the match and not that if you ask me
— ♂️ (@gtag_media) November 7, 2023
Ridiculous!!! End of game yes but at half time ????
— Phil Maggs (@maggs_phil) November 7, 2023
(Reporting by Lori Ewing, Editing by Toby Davis)
