City star has little memory of Champions League final
Kevin De Bruyne has revealed he has little recollection of the Champions League final.
The Manchester City playmakersufferedaseriousfacial injury in the second half of his side’s defeat to Chelsea in last season’s showpiece in Porto following a collision with Antonio Rudiger.
“I don’t remember a lot after the incident so there’s not a lot of memories,” said De Bruyne at a press conference to preview tonight’s Group A clash against Club Brugge in his native Belgium.
“I remember some chances in the first half and the goal but after the collision, I don’t remember a lot. I don’t remember how I got into the hospital on the night itself.
“I remember going back in the morning to the team hotel at 10am still with my City kit on, that’s what I remember. But it’s sport, it happens. It’s not the best thing that ever happened but you go on with it.”
The injury also meant De Bruyne missed Belgium’s opening match at Euro 2020, a tournament which he then ended with ankle ligament damage. That issue in turn prevented him starting any of City’sfirstfivePremierLeague matchesofthenewcampaign.
The 30-year-old said: “There’s nothing I could do, I got tackled and my ligaments snapped.Ijusthadtotrytoget back in the best way as possi
ble.Itwasalittlebitpainfulbut IfeelmuchbetternowandI’m very happy about that.”
De Bruyne returned to Pep Guardiola’s starting lineup prior to the international break, featuring in all three games of the club’s blockbusting triple-header against
Chelsea,ParisStGermainand Liverpool.Hescoredinthelatter and followed up with another goal as the champions beat Burnley 2-0 on Saturday.
De Bruyne said: “I would say in the last six months it’s been up and down, playing and not really training. Now
I feel myself getting stronger and I know the coaches are saying the same so it’s going well.”
Citygointothefirstofbackto-back games against Brugge third in the group – behind Paris St Germain and the Belgian champions – after losing
in the French capital last time out. Manager Guardiola said: “What we have seen is their physicality. They have a lot of quality up front. We have four games left and 12 points to fight for to qualify for the last 16. This is the target and our mentality will be the same.”