Man City midfielder vows side can go one better than last year in the Champions League
Monaco: Kevin De Bruyne believes Manchester City can reach this season’s Champions League final as they head into Wednesday’s last-16 second leg at AS Monaco with a 5-3 lead.
City, who have struggled to translate their domestic success on to the European stage in recent years, were eliminated in the semi-finals by Real Madrid last year but De Bruyne is hoping to go at least one step further this term.
“I think we can reach the final, but of course the other teams will think the same. And that doesn’t make it easier,” the 25-year-old midfielder told British media.
“It will be very tough against Monaco, they are doing extremely well at the moment, but we are very positive and if we beat them we are through to the quarter-finals, after which the final is not that far away.”
De Bruyne also feels City must improve their performances in high-pressure games if they hope to be fighting for some of the most prestigious trophies on a regular basis.
“I think it was important as a team to make the next step. City have had a difficult time in Europe, which is new for this club, but last year we did great in the Champions League,” the Belgian added.
“When you play at the highest level, you’re always playing in big matches whether it’s in the Premier League, the cups, the Champions League or at international level.”
And City, who warmed up with a 2-0 FA Cup win at Middlesbrough and have been drawn against Arsenal in the semi-final, while Chelsea face Spurs, have vowed to take the same offensive approach at Stade Louis II.
“We’re not going to change,” said full-back Pablo Zabaleta.
“This is the way we’ve been playing until now and I think it would be a big mistake if we went to Monaco to defend.”
However, defensive improvement is needed.
“We have to attack in the same way that we did here at the Etihad and if we do we’ll create chances and score goals,” goalkeeper Willy Caballero said.
“But the most important thing is to defend better than we did in the first leg.”
Aside from long-term absentees Gabriel Jesus and Ilkay Gundogan, everyone was present at training on Wednesday before the players flew out from Manchester to Monaco, the Manchester Evening News reported.
For Monaco, it looks like former Manchester United player Radamel Falcao will be available. He came off injured in Monaco’s last game but has returned to training.
Speaking after the session he said: “I feel good. I hope I will play.”
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has ruled out selling Joshua Kimmich to City.
City manager Pep Guardiola was rumoured to be wanting a reunion with the 22-year-old who he regularly started while boss at the German side.
Kimmich is said to be becoming frustrated as Carlo Ancelotti has started him far less and he was an unused substitute for Bayern’s 3-0 win over Eintracht Frankfurt at the weekend.
But Rummenigge told Sky Sports: “We have big plans for him in the future. He will be, quite literally, our successor to Philipp Lahm.
“From next season, he’ll get more and more minutes. That’s Carlo Ancelotti’s plan, at least.”
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