Pep Guardiola says Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne is the “second-best” passer he has worked with – after Argentine great Lionel Messi.

Guardiola holds the departing Belgian in high esteem, ahead of the likes of other pass-masters he has managed such as Andres Iniesta and Xavi at Barcelona, and former City midfielder David Silva.

De Bruyne announced last month he will leave City after 10 years when his contract expires at the end of the season, with his final home game against Bournemouth on Tuesday (kick-off 20:00 BST).

Guardiola said it would be “difficult to find” another player who passed the ball like De Bruyne and hailed him as “one of the best three” he has ever seen, before swiftly changing his mind.

“One is Messi,” said Guardiola. “And the other two, let me think about it…OK, let me put Kevin second.”

He added: “Messi is the best I have ever seen because Messi has done it really, really close to the box but Kevin is there. It’s just the stats, the goals, the assists, that he provides to the team in the final third and the talent.

“That is unique, that is why he has been one of the best players this club has had in the whole history. These are big, big words because he has been a special player.”

Where could De Bruyne end up after Man City exit?

De Bruyne has won 16 trophies in 10 years at Manchester City

De Bruyne has won 16 trophies since joining from Bundesliga club Wolfsburg in 2015, including six Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2023.

The Belgian has played 258 league games under Guardiola and registered 0.5 assists and created 3.6 chances per 90 minutes during that time – rating higher in both metrics than Messi, Xavi, Iniesta and Silva.

His passing accuracy of 82.4% is lowest of the five players, but this can possibly be put down to playing riskier passes in the final third in an attempt to unlock defences.

With De Bruyne’s City days coming to a close, BBC Sport understands the club are withdrawing their initial interest in Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz but remain in the market for a new creative midfielder – with Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White among the options.

Asked if De Bruyne will be difficult to replace, Guardiola said: “There are players who are really, really difficult for many reasons, we know that.

“But the season we have done is the season we have done – we cannot deny it. Of course we have to move forward.”

De Bruyne to receive farewell in last home game
Meanwhile, De Bruyne will receive a farewell from City after his final home game against Bournemouth on Tuesday.

Guardiola did not confirm whether De Bruyne would start against the Cherries, saying: “Kevin will get what he deserves. That is the best compliment for his incredible trajectory.

“What he has done with other legends in the club, it would not have been possible since Sheikh Mansour took over the club to reach another level.”

The game will be his last at Etihad Stadium and he will be afforded a guard of honour from team-mates at coaches at full-time.

De Bruyne will give a short speech on the pitch and be presented with gifts by the wife and son of late club legend Colin Bell, before heading on a lap of appreciation with the other players.

The campaign ends with a trip to Fulham on Sunday (16:00 BST), which is likely to be De Bruyne’s last game for the club.

City compete in this summer’s Club World Cup in the USA, which starts on 14 June, but De Bruyne said he “probably” will not play in the tournament as injury could scupper plans to find a new club.

Bbc.com

Jack Hinshelwood struck a late winner as Brighton boosted their slender hopes of scraping Conference League qualification with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Premier League champions Liverpool.

Arne Slot’s Reds were on course for success at the Amex Stadium following an eye-catching finish from Dominik Szoboszlai after Seagulls midfielder Yasin Ayari cancelled out Harvey Elliott’s early opener.

But Mohamed Salah – making his 300th Premier League appearance – missed an open goal to stretch the visitors’ lead before Kaoru Mitoma equalised and fellow Albion substitute Hinshelwood pounced five minutes from time.

Liverpool have now taken only a point from three games since clinching the title on April 27, while Fabian Hurzeler’s hosts climbed to eighth – three points above Brentford – ahead of Sunday’s season finale at Tottenham.

Brighton’s attempts to sneak into Europe became complex after bitter rivals Crystal Palace snatched a Europa League place with Saturday’s shock FA Cup final win over Manchester City.

Albion must remain in eighth position to stand any chance and then hope either Chelsea finish seventh and beat Real Betis in the Conference League final or Carabao Cup winners Newcastle drop out of the top six.

Permutations have been of little concern to runaway leaders Liverpool since they were confirmed champions more than three weeks ago.

The Reds, who left Trent Alexander-Arnold on the bench ahead of his summer exit, were given a guard of honour as they entered the pitch, which prompted boos from some home fans.

Seagulls supporters were soon silenced as Liverpool capitalised on a bright start with a fine team goal.

After Szoboszlai’s diagonal pass was helped on by Salah, Conor Bradley burst into the box beyond Simon Adingra and pulled the ball back to leave Elliott with a simple finish.

Liverpool have scored in every away game of a league season for the first time following the ninth-minute breakthrough and threatened to double their lead when Bradley side-footed wide.

Danny Welbeck should have levelled with a close-range header – amid suspicion of handball from Kostas Tsimikas – before the Reds were pegged back 13 minutes shy of half-time.

Following neat build-up play involving Adam Webster and Welbeck, Brajan Gruda’s pass split the visitors’ backline and Ayari raced through to calmly roll the ball into the bottom left corner.

Slot’s side regained the lead in first-half added time.

Brighton’s defence switched off after conceding a free-kick and Szoboszlai exchanged short passes with Elliott before unleashing a dipping drive from wide on the right which deceived goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen and flew into the far corner.

Liverpool keeper Alisson Becker saved well from Welbeck and Gruda early in the second period before Salah was guilty of a glaring miss.

Cody Gakpo escaped down the left and delivered a low centre but, with the goal gaping, the division’s 28-goal leading scorer somehow directed his finish wide of the right post from the edge of the six-yard box.

Welbeck fired tamely straight at Alisson following a delightful lay-off from Gruda, while Salah was denied by Verbruggen at the other end as an entertaining encounter remained open.

Brighton levelled for a second time in the 69th minute. Alisson kept out Welbeck’s initial effort but Mitoma, who had been on the pitch for four minutes, followed up to hammer home the rebound.

The Seagulls wanted a penalty when Mats Wieffer went down under a challenge from Tsimikas and looked set to suffer further frustration when Hinshelwood’s close-range effort was initially chalked off.

But replays showed Matt O’Riley was marginally onside before delivering the assist, prompting wild celebrations, which were replicated after the hosts held on during eight minutes of added time.

Rte.ie

There wasn’t a blade of grass at Stamford Bridge that Moises Caicedo didn’t cover.

On a night that demanded intensity, clarity, and heart, Chelsea’s Player of the Season delivered all three in abundance.

Caicedo didn’t just play football, he led the fight against Manchester United, he reminded everyone why a player of his talent deserves to be on the biggest stages like the Champions League.

New standards
Enzo Maresca, Manager of Chelsea, speaks to Moises Caicedo at the end of the Premier League match between Manchester United FC and Chelsea FC at Old Trafford on November 03, 2024 in Manchester, England.

In many ways, Bruno Fernandes mirrored Caicedo’s importance to his own side, but on the night, there was only one winner.

The Ecuadorian’s relentless energy and no-nonsense attitude created a standard that no Chelsea player could afford to fall short of.

Under the lights, Chelsea were tentative, but Caicedo was assured, and slowly, his composure became contagious. Reece James found rhythm.

Tosin Adarabioyo settled into the game. Marc Cucurella, too, followed suit.

Caicedo wasn’t just lifting the level, he was dragging it upward, one tackle, one pass, one run at a time.

There are good players who shine when others falter, then there are the great ones, the ones whose performance inspires an entire team to rise.

Caicedo has shown he’s firmly in that second category.

He was so influential and so dominant that it became nearly impossible for those around him not to follow his lead.

He’s already a fan favourite, and it’s telling that no one mentions the price tag anymore, even though he is the ninth-most expensive footballer of all time.

When he first came, that was the stick everyone used in beating, they are not laughing now, are they?

Because Chelsea weren’t just buying a good midfielder, they found a fighter.

A technician, a player with a rare hunger and edge, something the modern game sees far too little of.

There’s been talk that this Chelsea team isn’t ready for Champions League football.

But if recent performances are anything to go by, particularly from players like Caicedo and Cucurella, who have grown into the fight, those doubts are being silenced.

This is a team rising to the level of the competition. In the Europa Conference League, they’ve handled their business, and a trophy is within reach.

What has been a difficult campaign could still finish on a high.

Even Robert Sanchez, who looked uncertain early in the campaign, has grown into his role.

Against United, he looked like a different player, confident, reliable, and focused. He even kept a clean sheet.

Stamford Bridge has a legacy of waking up when it matters most, and with the money spent and the talent assembled, Chelsea belong back among Europe’s elite, and Caicedo wants to be there too.

Now the question is simple: can they go to Nottingham Forest and get the three points that seal their Champions League return?

If they do, Enzo Maresca would have done his job, and his players-led by the irrepressible Moises Caicedo, will have proved they’re ready for the next level.

Fourfourtwo.com