Kevin De Bruyne, Real Madrid's Nemesis
Kevin De Bruyne has spent most of the season in hibernation. The Belgian missed five months after injuring himself in the Community Shield (English Super Cup), but he hasn't shown any rust from the long period away from the pitch.
He's now the top assist provider of 2024 and arrives at the Santiago Bernabéu with memories of last year, when one of his goals changed the course of the tie.
De Bruyne was the man who lifted City when they were struggling against Real Madrid. City ended up winning the three major titles (Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup) but faced difficulties in the first leg at the Bernabéu, where a goal from Vinícius Júnior gave Real Madrid an advantage. In the return leg, City dominated Madrid in Manchester to progress.
It wasn't the first time De Bruyne showcased his talent at the Bernabéu. In 2020, he resolved a similar match. Madrid, as the underdog, took the lead with a goal from Isco Alarcón, but De Bruyne secured the win with an assist to Gabriel Jesús and a penalty. In the return leg, a disastrous performance from Raphael Varane, affected by a concussion, ended Madrid's hopes.
At 32 years old, time seems to have no effect on De Bruyne, and not even a serious muscle injury suffered in August has hindered his season. He underwent surgery and didn't return until January 13. His impact was immediate, scoring and assisting in his debut. In fact, he provided four assists in his first four matches.
His numbers in 2024 are outstanding. He has played fourteen matches and provided twelve assists, making him the best assister in the world so far this year. Despite missing half the season, De Bruyne is just four assists away from being the top assister in the Premier League.
Pep Guardiola has managed his minutes well. Since his return in January, the Spanish coach didn't use him in the second leg against Copenhagen (March 6), the win against Newcastle United in the FA Cup (March 16), the 1-0 victory against Brentford (March 20), and the triumph against Aston Villa (April 3).
Additionally, due to some discomfort, De Bruyne skipped the last international break and didn't play in Belgium's friendlies. He stayed in Manchester recovering to be 100% fit for the most crucial part of the season.
The results have proven him right. In the last game before visiting the Bernabéu, De Bruyne had his best performance since his injury. He scored two fantastic goals, one with his right foot and one with his left, and assisted Erling Haaland.
"De Bruyne is one of the best players in Manchester City's history," Guardiola stated after the Palace match.
This Tuesday, De Bruyne returns to one of his favorite stages. He's one of the few players in the world not affected by stage fright at the Santiago Bernabéu.
