Pep Guardiola praised Kevin De Bruyne’s exceptional form as “extraordinary,” highlighting the Belgian’s involvement in all three goals during Manchester City’s 3-1 victory over FC Copenhagen on Tuesday.
De Bruyne scored an early goal, which was later equalized by Magnus Mattsson against the run of play.
Bernardo Silva then restored City’s lead before halftime. The match was sealed in stoppage time when Phil Foden capitalized on De Bruyne’s assist.
We're now on WhatsApp. Click here to join.
Despite missing a clear chance and facing a fine save from Kamil Grabara, De Bruyne’s impact was crucial in securing the win.
City dominated possession with nearly 80 percent and kept Copenhagen at bay for the first 35 minutes.
However, a moment of sloppiness cost them dearly. Ederson’s poor clearance went straight to Mohamed Elyounoussi, whose blocked shot fell to Mattson, allowing him to mark his debut with a stunning strike from outside the box.
Read Also: Man City triumph 3-1 at Copenhagen in Champions League last 16 first leg
Despite this setback, City regained their composure and took the lead before half-time.
Mattson was unlucky as his attempted clearance ricocheted off De Bruyne, falling perfectly for Silva to flick beyond Grabara.
Grabara kept Copenhagen in the game early in the second half with spectacular saves to deny De Bruyne and Doku. He then won a head-to-head battle with Haaland twice in stoppage time.
City aimed to secure a comfortable advantage, with the second leg falling between crucial Premier League games against Manchester United and Liverpool.
They eventually scored a third goal, effectively sealing the tie, as the in-form Foden slammed home his 15th goal of the season.
This extended City’s unbeaten run in European competitions to 21 games.
Kevin De Bruyne Shines Bright in Manchester City’s Triumph Over Copenhagen
De Bruyne who was sidelined for five months due to a hamstring tear suffered on the opening night of the Premier League season in August, has made a remarkable comeback.
Since his return last month, the 32-year-old has scored two goals and provided seven assists in seven appearances.
“Extraordinary,” Guardiola commented on De Bruyne’s statistics.
“The biggest players love to appear in the biggest stages.”
“It’s the hour of truth when you are in the last 16 of the Champions League and we start well.”
The English champions have extended their winning streak to 11 consecutive games in all competitions, maintaining their pursuit of repeating last season’s treble of the Champions League, Premier League, and FA Cup.
Copenhagen, who had not played a competitive game for two months since securing their place in the last 16 by defeating Manchester United and Galatasaray in the group stages, showed signs of rustiness early on.
This was evident as City dominated the early stages of the match.
De Bruyne after the game stated, “They had a great group stage so we had to respect them.”
“We started really well but I think we made one mistake and they pounced on it.”
“We played a really good game. In the second half we created a lot of chances, could have scored more and luckily in the end we scored the third one, so it is a little bit of an advantage now.”
Jack Grealish Sidelined Again
Jack Grealish, who was surprisingly given just his second start of the year by Guardiola, lasted only 15 minutes before he was forced off with a suspected groin injury.
During a run, Grealish was clipped by Diogo Goncalves and fell to the ground in pain. He immediately signaled to the bench, indicating that he needed to be substituted due to a suspected groin injury.
Jeremy Doku replaced the former Aston Villa player, who couldn’t hide his disappointment as he left the field at the Parken Stadium.
This injury came at a crucial time for Grealish, who hasn’t had the best season for the Citizens, scoring just three goals in 25 appearances.
This match was an opportunity for him to make an impact and earn a spot in the regular starting XI.
“Something muscular so maybe it’s a little bit… the groin. I don’t know.”
“These kinds of games, we need these kind of tempos, the control, Bernardo and Jack helped us to keep that up and make the passes in the right moment.”
“It’s a pity that Jack got injured but it is what it is. He was gutted but he wants to play for sure.”
