Guardiola and De Bruyne hit new milestones ahead of Real Madrid tie
Manchester City are preparing for another Champions League semi-final
Real Madrid will need to overcome a Manchester City team filled with world-class talent to reach another Champions League final. That includes Kevin de Bruyne, who has recently reached another milestone.
After an injury ended his participation in the quarter-final against Atletico Madrid, De Bruyne returned in the 3-0 victory over Brighton, providing an assist for two of the goals.
It was his 300th match with Manchester City and, since arriving in 2015, the Belgian has scored 81 goals for the club, provided 116 assists and lifted 10 trophies.
Meanwhile, Guardiola has hit 250 Premier League victories and it has taken him just 344 matches, which is the quickest anyone has ever achieved the feat.
Jose Mourinho held the record previously, surpassing the milestone in 396 matches, yet his former rival has blitzed him since arriving at the Etihad Stadium.
Guardiola believes De Bruyne is essential
The arrival of the former Barcelona coach has allowed De Bruyne to further flourish in Manchester and Guardiola feels as though the former Chelsea midfielder is essential to his plans.
“He’s one of the best players I’ve ever seen, he’s constantly improving,” Guardiola explained in his post-match interview.
“We’ve been together for six years and he’s a unique talent, an exceptional footballer.”