A player from "another planet".
While the football world was at a standstill due to the Covid-19 pandemic in May 2020, Thierry Henry declared his love for Kevin De Bruyne for
Sky Sports
. “He's an incredible player, what he shows us is madness, enthusiastic the legend of Arsenal, who was Roberto Martinez's assistant with Belgium between 2016 and 2018. His brain is elsewhere, I was able to realize it when I worked with him. He's one of those guys you just gotta let play, because if you try to figure out what he's doing, it hurts your head. " Praise has become daily bread for De Bruyne, attacking midfielder and catalyst of Manchester City's game. He does not have the glamor of a Neymar or the freshness of a Kylian Mbappé, but the Belgian (29) has established himself as one of the best players on the planet. On the eve of the Champions League semi-finals, he is the most awaited Citizen to achieve Mancunian ambitions.
De Bruyne's inspired assist for Sané against Arsenal in April 2017 (2-2)
Nothing predestined De Bruyne for such a fate, and certainly not his failure at Chelsea, which he left in 2014. "Selling Kevin De Bruyne for € 29 million would be the business of the century", headlined the famous American website
Bleacher. Report
. Finally, Wolfsburg will spend € 22.5 million for the Belgian midfielder. A year and a half later, Manchester City signed a check for € 75 million. The first season is beautiful, nothing more. Then comes Pep Guardiola. The Spanish coach gives the keys to the game to the native of Tronchiennes, in the Flemish region, who speaks a little French and a lot of Dutch. 16 assists in 2016-17, 18 in 2017-18 and 20 in 2019-20: De Bruyne puts the Premier League at his feet, literally. "It is not necessary to say how fantastic Kevin is", marveled Guardiola last July. Asked about a comparison with Andrés Iniesta, whom he trained in Barcelona, the valid Catalan. “Andrés is more composed, he directs the game. Kevin is like a knife, analyzed Guardiola in an interview broadcast by Canal + on April 25.When he decides to go, he feels the passes and the game. "
️ Pep Guardiola: "Kevin De Bruyne? Turn on the TV and" enjoy "!"
pic.twitter.com/Ms8Nxt8z4m
- Canal Football Club (@CanalFootClub) April 25, 2021
He does not have the speed of Mbappé, does not score as many goals as Ronaldo ... but what player
Praise rains.
De Bruyne emerges as the player to remember for compressor roller Manchester City, who have won 21 straight matches in all competitions this season, the best streak in history for an English club.
But can we speak of the Belgian as a star?
Off-field, no.
Three weeks ago he himself negotiated his agentless contract extension, a rare occurrence in football.
According to
The Athletic
, he ordered very extensive statistical data to prove his importance in the citizen game, and thus initial a new lease until 2025. We do not find him attached to a ton of sponsors such as Neymar. He does not set a speed record on a counterattack like Kylian Mbappé. He doesn't have an iconic goal celebration like Cristiano Ronaldo. Goals, he does not score many elsewhere: 65 in 258 matches with Manchester City. His game is sometimes expressed in the shadows. At best, with an assist. At worst, in the penultimate pass. The kind of move that dislocates a defense, but that only the most advanced statistics can calculate. Guardiola, always for Canal +: “When I am asked to talk about the players, their qualities, I always answer:“ you only haveto watch ! Turn on the TV and enjoy! ””
"
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So De Bruyne, star or not star?
You will never hear Guardiola use such a word, he who advocates the collective strength of his teams.
But ... "What can I say about Kevin, he is so important to us," the Skyblues coach reminded us on Tuesday at a press conference, on the eve of the trip to Paris.
Words that oozed relief: De Bruyne came out with an injured ankle and right foot on April 17, in the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea (1-0 loss).
He returned to the pitch last Sunday, with 87 minutes played and an assist against Tottenham, in the League Cup final (1-0).
Right on time for the meeting of the stars at the Parc des Princes.
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