De Bruyne to stay even if ban upheld
KEVIN DE BRUYNE is committed to staying at Manchester City even if the club’s twoyear Champions League ban is upheld.
As revealed by Sportsmail, City will learn their fate when the Court of Arbitration for Sport delivers an appeal verdict at 9.30am on Monday, with expulsion set to cost the club more than £150million.
But De Bruyne, who continues his hunt for the Premier League assist record at Brighton today, will not look to force a move away.
De Bruyne and his wife, Michele, are expecting their third child this year and are settled in the North West.
City are expected to begin negotiations over a new contract with the 29-year- old, who has three years to run on his existing deal and earns a guaranteed £280,000 a week.
It is a major boost for Pep Guardiola’s men, who were handed a treacherous path in yesterday’s Champions League draw. Juventus or Lyon await in the last eight, assuming City overcome Real Madrid in the last 16 — they lead 2-1 after a first-leg away win.
Guardiola’s former sides Bayern and Barcelona are then possible semi-final opponents. Barcelona must come past Napoli after a 1-1 draw in Italy, and Bayern lead Chelsea 3-0.
All ties from the quarter-final stage will be played in Portugal and will be decided over one match.
League Cup winners City are chasing a treble with the FA Cup semi-final against Arsenal next Saturday and the second leg against Real on August 7.
Guardiola said: ‘I have the feeling that in the next four weeks, my players and the club have something that is not coming back again. I feel the motivation and I think the team is there.
‘Big clubs don’t miss these chances, to try until the last effort.’
Meanwhile, Wolves and Manchester United could meet in the Europa League semi-finals.
United will face Istanbul Basaksehir or Copenhagen in the last eight, provided they don’t throw away a 5-0 first-leg lead over LASK of Austria.
Roma or Sevilla await in the quarters for Wolves if Nuno Espirito Santo’s side can knock out Olympiacos. The sides drew 1-1 in Greece in March.
WATCHING BRIEF: Brighton v Manchester City. Kick-off: 8pm.
LIVE on Sky Sports Premier League.