Kevin De Bruyne provides fitness update ahead of Chelsea clash – Metro.co.uk
NEWS… BUT NOT AS YOU KNOW IT
Kevin De Bruyne has provided an update on his fitness ahead of Manchester City’s Premier League clash against Chelsea on Saturday.
The Belgian superstar has only managed five top-flight appearances this season after a long spell ruled out with a hamstring injury.
De Bruyne has shown just how important he is to Pep Guardiola’s side in those five games, though, producing a goal and four assists.
The 32-year-old got 90 minutes under his belt for just the second time this term in Tuesday night’s 3-1 victory at FC Copenhagen in the Champions League, producing a goal and two assists.
Speaking after the match, De Bruyne told TNT Sports: ‘It’s been a long five or six months but I’m just happy to be back, helping the team win games and be at my best.
‘I feel alright. Obviously I still need a couple more games and minutes. I’ve not played 90 minutes for almost a year [apart from against Brentford last week].
‘But I’m getting there, I’m feeling good and the level is good enough for the moment – so I’m happy.’
Kylian Mbappe wants Arsenal transfer to become next Thierry Henry
Alan Shearer hails ‘unstoppable’ Arsenal star and praises Mikel Arteta’s clever new tactic
Pep Guardiola gutted to lose Man City star to injury ahead of match vs Chelsea
Pep Guardiola names the Man Utd defeat which made him think ‘wow!’
Speaking more generally about City’s first-leg victory over Copenhagen in the last 16, De Bruyne added: ‘We’ve played here a couple of times and the atmosphere is great. We had to respect them.
‘We started really well. We made one mistake and they capitalised but I thought we played really well. We scored the third goal and it’s a little bit of an advantage now.
‘We try to minimise the mistakes. The second half we dominated again. They changed to a back five but we still found the chances and did what we needed to do.’
MORE : Rio Ferdinand: ‘I was part of the culture of homophobia in football. Then my life changed’
MORE : Thierry Henry disagrees with common Arsenal criticism as he talks up their Champions League chances
MORE : Pep Guardiola names the Man Utd defeat which made him think ‘wow!’
Chelsea news, exclusives and analysis
Get us in your feed
Originally posted 2024-02-15 01:00:22. Republished by Blog Post Promoter