Guardiola compares De Bruyne's Man City departure to two other club legends
In the opening match of Premier League Round 35, Manchester City secured their fifth consecutive victory. The win was delivered by Kevin De Bruyne, who netted the only goal in the 35th minute.
This was the penultimate home game at the Etihad for the Belgian midfielder before his departure from the club. Earlier, the 33-year-old star had announced he would be leaving Man City, though his next destination remains unknown.
After the match, City boss Josep Guardiola also recalled that De Bruyne was a pivotal figure in the team’s thrilling comeback victory over Crystal Palace, when City had been trailing 0-2.
"Against Crystal Palace, his goal gave us the momentum for the comeback.
I’m sure it’s not easy for him, but his contribution has been enormous. There are players like Sergio Agüero, like Kevin De Bruyne, like Vincent Kompany, who are in people’s hearts.
It’s not just about titles and numbers—their impact is about the love and passion they’ve shown all of us over a decade here, helping us win absolutely everything.
He has nothing left to prove. I know his quality and his level. That’s all," said Pep.
Let’s not forget, City are still in the hunt for a UEFA Champions League spot. Currently, the Citizens sit third in the table, though all their rivals have one game in hand. The advantage over their closest challenger outside the Champions League zone is four points with four rounds remaining in the season.
Ileana Sanchez
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