Noel Gallagher has vowed to celebrate on stage wearing only his underpants if Manchester City win the Champions League courtesy of an Erling Haaland hat-trick.
The ex-Oasis rocker, 56, is a lifelong City fan but won't be in Istanbul this Saturday for the final. That's because his band, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, have a gig in San Diego just a few hours after the game takes place.
But Gallagher will still be watching on and has promised to pull off a Gary Lineker-like celebration in honour of Haaland if the Norwegian sensation bags three goals in a win against Inter Milan. Former England hero Lineker famously wore just his underwear for the opening section of Match of the Day after his beloved team, Leicester, miraculously won the Premier League title in 2016.
Gallagher could be next to strip off, having grabbed a photo with a half-naked Haaland earlier this year following City's crucial 4-1 victory over Arsenal. "I won't be in Istanbul," the Mancunian music icon revealed. "I always make sure the dates around the Champions League are free and usually that's always around the end of May.
"What wasn't factored in was the World Cup and the knock-on effect. I'm contractually obliged to play the gig no matter what and I'm okay with that - I will watch the game in a San Diego bar. If City win and Haaland scores a hat-trick I'll be going on in my underpants."
Explaining his encounter with City's star striker, Gallagher added: "Erling did ask for my picture, I was like 'whoa, yeah but can you bend down a bit? He's a lovely lad and he has got a beautiful, big smile and he just looks like a big happy kid. He's great."
Having been in Porto when City lost their only other Champions League final to English rivals Chelsea in 2021, with the Covid-19 pandemic still in effect, the now seasoned solo artist will be hoping to conjure up memories a much more memorable night for his club. Gallagher was on tour in Chile when City famously won the Premier League for the first time in 2012, pipping bitter rivals Manchester United to the title in the 94th minute.
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"I have to say, the blight coming over me after the Champions League final against Chelsea was the worst I've ever felt as a City fan," he recalled. "There was something in the air that day, even getting up to go that morning I was thinking how much I hate all English finals because they're always rubbish to watch.
"I had a bad feeling about it and in the end, a few weeks later I was thinking, 'Do we really want to win it there in a half-empty stadium or you want to win it in Rome or wherever?' Istanbul will do I suppose and if we don't win it will be disappointing for a few days, but we are Premier League champions again and we have won the FA Cup.
"That's not to be sniffed at and this could still turn into one of the greatest seasons from any football team ever. Fingers crossed."
