Kevin De Bruyne in Twitter
Manchester City are the undisputed kings of European football. Pep Guardiola’s side have
dominated the domestic landscape for years and in doing so have earned 11 major honours
over the course of the Spaniard’s seven year spell at the Etihad. He is the best manager in the
world in charge of the best club side in the world and as a result the Cityzens are once again
favourites for all the major honours available in England.
It’s not all that surprising that his Sky Blues are once again the frontrunners for the Premier League title given the success of
the 52-year-old’s tenure, but a massive contributor to that success is the ever present force in his
midfield, the always dependable Kevin De Bruyne. The Belgian international is the talisman of
City’s midfield, unlocking defences at will and providing a threat from all areas of the pitch. He
has contributed 96 goals and 153 assists in all competitions since joining City, and has been
instrumental in orchestrating one of the most feared attacking forces in world football.
His performances in the Premier League have been incredible but his play in Europe has been
legendary; without him there is little chance City would have secured their first European Cup to
complete a famous treble last season. It comes as no surprise then that news of his
hamstring injury that could sideline the 32-year-old for up to four months was met with much concern from
City supporters. There’s enough quality and strength in depth to compensate in some shape or
form for his absence but how big a hole will he leave? And how will this affect their chances of
retaining their Champions League crown?
De Bruyne’s season took an unwanted turn in just 24 minutes of the opening game against
Burnley. The Belgian was forced to limp off after re-injuring the hamstring that had caused him
to leave the pitch in the Champions League final a few months earlier. The timeline for his
recovery takes him up to the congested Christmas period meaning Pep’s Premier League plans
have already been disrupted and he is well aware of the problem he faces there.
Speaking in a press conference ahead of the club’s UEFA Super Cup victory over Spanish side Sevilla, the
Man City boss said: "The injury for Kevin is a sore blow for us. But at the same time we have to
look forward. The skills of Kevin are irreplaceable but it's an opportunity for others and I'm sure
they will take it." The City boss’ analysis of the situation is on the money; there are very few
sides in the world that have as much talent in their squad as the Manchester outfit does. Their
options consist of Jack Grealish, Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, and the list goes on. Thus far they
seem to be coping well with five wins from five in the Premier League giving the defending
champions a perfect start and all the momentum they could hope for heading into the
Champions League’s first matchday.
What also gives City more of a boost will be the relatively simple group they have to navigate. Red Star Belgrade, Young Boys and RB Leipzig provide a
decent challenge but by no means do they make up the toughest group in the competition. City
should expect to qualify from the group stage without too much hassle, and with that said, De
Bruyne’s absence should not make all that much difference. The final matchday of the group
stages will be completed by December 13th meaning that the talismanic Belgian will be
available for the knockout stages should City get there and should he keep on track with his
recovery. This will be where the 32-year-old will be around to make the difference and where
City will need him most to do just that.
The reality of the situation for now is that City are still overwhelming favourites to win the
Champions League according to
top betting sites and just
have to remain composed, take each step as though it’s business as usual and they will steer themselves safely into the next stage.
Pep will still be erring on the side of caution in his approach as he has seen what can happen
without the Belgian bolstering his ranks. City’s first excursion into European competition this
season may have seen them
win the UEFA Super Cup against Sevilla, but Phil Foden’s
performance was hardly the statement they were looking for after the Belgian’s untimely knock
against Burnley. The England international struggled to control the midfield, and looked aimless
at times when trying to find Erling Haaland up front.
It was underwhelming at best and part of the reason the game went to penalties; a City firing on all cylinders would have won that game
by two or three as they did nearly 12 months prior. It wasn’t the first time the team had
noticeably underperformed in De Bruyne’s absence either. In 2021, Chelsea won out in the
Champions League final on a day where City looked short of ideas going forward. Thomas
Tuchel’s side outclassed them in most areas of the pitch, winning the tactical battle and
ultimately lifting the Champions League trophy aloft. In those two matches alone the Spanish
boss has all the warning he needs to not underestimate the challenge of this group stage. Red
Star Belgrade is known as one of the most hostile atmospheres in Europe and RB Leipzig have
got the better of City before in Europe.
Neither of them should get past the Cityzens but they will have to be on top form if they are to come through the group without a hiccup along the way.
Some of Europe’s giants in Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and PSG will once again be waiting to
pounce should City give them a look-in. But if the Cityzens come away with a good showing to
boost their confidence and De Bruyne doesn’t take too much time getting back to his best
before the knockout stages get underway, City should still make good on their tags as favourites
for the competition.
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Manchester City line-ups