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De Bruyne is the end of an old Manchester City
Apr
De Bruyne had a memorable day playing his final Manchester derby in his career. Even though he is one of the best attacking midfielders, his performance against Manchester United shows that his departure is justified. De Bruyne’s exit from Etihad marks the end of a glorious era for Manchester City and opens up a challenging future for the club.
Goodbye De Bruyne.
In a post-match share, MU midfielder Bruno Fernandes had an emotional hug and heartfelt words for De Bruyne. There was nothing ‘fake’ or showy at this moment. They are true men who win against each other based on their abilities. It would have been better for De Bruyne to win his final Manchester derby in a Manchester City shirt, but a draw is also an acceptable result. Speaking about De Bruyne’s departure at the end of this season, Bruno Fernandes choked up a bit and added a touch of bitterness: ‘It’s an honor to face Kevin De Bruyne. He has made the Premier League better. If Manchester City maintains their current position while Manchester United does not win any titles during the same period, it’s because they have De Bruyne in their lineup. He deserves all the praise.
That’s certainly not wrong. For 10 years, the Belgian midfielder has won 14 titles with the blue side of Manchester, including 6 Premier League championships and one Champions League. It’s hard to imagine what Manchester City will be like without De Bruyne starting next season. The Premier League has many famous attacking midfielders, but few have been criticized or scrutinized in their personal lives. You might mention De Bruyne’s early time at Chelsea, but let’s overlook that because at that time, the Belgian star was young and José Mourinho’s patience was very low. Let’s only talk about since De Bruyne met Guardiola. Indeed, it’s true that once ‘a fish meets water,’ it flourishes.
De Bruyne is almost immune to scandals (except for an issue with Courtois over a girl). Otherwise, he rarely lets himself be involved in off-field issues. De Bruyne never seeks fame or personal branding. He is an introverted person with few friends, yet lives very sincerely and simply. For him, football is the only way to express himself. Simply put, for De Bruyne, ‘less talk, more action.’ He showcases himself through his plays, brilliant passes, and beautiful goals. De Bruyne’s presence represents the most unpredictable attacking force that Manchester City brings to their opponents.
The biggest beneficiary of De Bruyne’s assists has recently been Erling Haaland. However, age spares no one. The style of football characterized by intense pressing, speed, and ruthless tackles in the Premier League has become unsuitable for De Bruyne’s legs. De Bruyne’s departure will mark a significant turning point in the history of Manchester City. This team will no longer have one of the greatest players of the Guardiola era, and it may herald the beginning of a transformative phase for the club.
De Bruyne must leave Manchester City.
It’s not easy to say goodbye to an outstanding individual like the Belgian midfielder. However, amid the deep bond and in a challenging season filled with trials for his career, Pep Guardiola feels that Manchester City must move forward; there’s no room for ‘begging for the past.’
According to The Sun, in reality, De Bruyne wanted to stay with Manchester City until the end of his career and was willing to play less. However, what Guardiola needs now is no longer the experience of a veteran like De Bruyne. He needs freshness and youth for Manchester City over the next two years—the time when Guardiola’s contract with the club ends.
You can consider Guardiola a heartless person, but anyone who watched De Bruyne play against Manchester United in the recent 0-0 draw will see that the Spanish strategist is right. De Bruyne’s passing accuracy rate was surprisingly low (only 69%), he failed on all three dribbles, had no key passes, and lost 8 out of 9 duels. Well, that is a sign of age, and as we mentioned earlier, De Bruyne is truly no longer suitable to play in England.
There were many moments when he walked on the pitch or nearly disappeared completely from sensitive situations on the field for Manchester City. Even when positioned in the least physically demanding role, De Bruyne struggled against the experienced and aggressive central midfield duo of Ugarte and Casemiro from MU. A few years ago, if De Bruyne played in that role, every defense would always be on high alert. Now, he is much more predictable. If a younger player were in De Bruyne’s position, the Red Devils’ defense would likely face more problems. But overall, it is a concern for the entire Manchester City team this season.
They still have stars, but the will, desire, ambition, and age weigh heavily on their minds and spirits. The need for Manchester City to undergo a transformation is quite clear. They will need more than 2-3 new names; in fact, they may need 10 quality newcomers to create a new look for the blue side of Manchester. However, finding the framework that took the club to the top with players like Mahrez, Sterling, De Bruyne, Haaland, Stones, Walker… from years ago will be a challenging puzzle for Guardiola.
