Champions League win can be Silva lining – De Bruyne

KEVIN De Bruyne believes winning the Champions League would be the perfect Manchester City send-off for David Silva.

Veteran playmaker Silva is leaving City when their European campaign, which resumes with the second leg of their muchdelayed last-16 tie against Real Madrid on August 7, comes to an end.

The 34-year-old made his final appearance in the Premier League – a competition he has won four times during an outstanding decade’s service to City – in Sunday’s 5-0 thrashing of relegated Norwich.

The continent’s elite club competition is the one major prize to have eluded the Spaniard in a glittering career that has also included World Cup and European Championship titles with Spain.

“For me he is one of the best players who has ever played in the Premier League,” said De Bruyne, who scored twice and notched a record-equalling assist in the campaign-ending rout of the Canaries.

“You can always debate who is (number) one but when you play with him you can appreciate what he does day-in, day-out. I have played with him for five years - a long time.

“We have won a lot together, we play well together. We complement each other really well in different ways.

“And he’s such a nice guy as well. He is going to be a big miss. It would be great if we could win the Champions League so it could end well for him.”

Despite being in guaranteed second spot, City had no intention of going easy on the bottom side as they tune up for the visit of Real.

De Bruyne, 29, said: “It is good to stay in the rhythm. There is no point slacking. We have to keep going full pace.

“Now we have got two weeks to prepare ourselves fully and we have got another final.

“We want to prepare ourselves the best possible to be ready for that game and hopefully we can play another four games this year.”