He wasn’t wrong, given the result and his own performance, but the second blade was cruel to him. Because, now, in England, the question burns the lips of the followers: “Is Kevin de Bruyne too old?”.
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The question, surreal if ever there was one, was put to him on Monday at a press conference. Surreal as de Bruyne is still statistically the best provider in the Premier League to this day, inherently the best in Europe, he remains a vital pawn for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and continues to build on the foundations of a double-double season , a habit concerning him. Surreal but not irrelevant: since the World Cup, if City seem less implacable, it is also partly due to a certain pumping up of their environment.
Class, De Bruyne did not take offense at the questioning. “I’m an old gentleman in football but I’m not an old manhe nuanced entry. Sorry for you guys but I feel great“. However, since his return from Qatar, where he was frankly disappointing, the figures do not confirm his impression. With two goals and three assists in 14 matches, he has not regained his cruising speed.
Kevin de Bruyne
Credit: Getty Images
De Bruyne, like Cristiano Ronaldo?
“If I had to use one word to describe his season, I would say mixedadvances Pete Sharland, journalist for Eurosport in England. He had great matches, especially earlier in the season but also some difficulties, as since the return of the World Cup. This one had an influence, for sure, but I also believe that they made a pact with Guardiola. The idea is to give priority to the C1. They are in the fight for the title here, of course, but there may be an opening for the Champions League so they are doing a bit like Real Madrid with Cristiano at the time, with rest periods allowing him to be at the top of European evenings“.
The theory holds since it was from the bench that the Belgian witnessed his team’s victory at Crystal Palace (0-1) on Saturday, only entering for the last ten minutes. It is this new status that questions so much what Manchester City was his in the past. But these Citizens are learning to depend less on their playing master.
“People have different expectations of me than of other players, that’s the truth.he commented, recalling how demanding he was of himself. In fact, some are waiting for me to score or assist in every game. But even though I may have fewer passes than in the past, I don’t think I’m creating less. […] Maybe it’s not my best football but it’s a good level“.
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The format of the season also does not correspond to the physical rhythm of a player accustomed to taking advantage of cuts during the season. “More than others, he needs small breaks and here and there in the season and with all this condensed calendar, you have to preserve yourself“, says Pete Sharland.
Moreover, while logic would like to see him take a step back as the years pass and his explosiveness decreases, the Belgian refutes this thesis. “People sometimes say that you have to go back with age but for me it’s quite the opposite.he pleaded. […] I will never be a Fernandinho, who was a formidable number 6“. This question remains: can he become the real De Bruyne again, the one who will finally take City to the top of Europe?
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