De Bruyne ‘Second-Best’ Passer After Messi, Says Guardiola

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