Key events
“He has been missed,” says Pep Guardiola about Rodri’s return. On De Bruyne’s farewell, he adds: “It’s a special game. We are playing, of course, for Kev. It’s a massive day for him emotionally, hope he can control his emotions because it is not easy. But he help us for many years and today will not be an exception.”
“If Tom Cairney leaves for Wrexham KDB seems like the perfect replacement as Fulham’s geriatric midfielder,” writes Richard Hirst. “Trouble is, he’ll expect a lot more money, so we’ll need to finish above Bournemouth and Palace to get more place money. So come on Kevin, you’re playing for your salary!”
“All sorts of individual songs, but never Player of the Month,” writes Phil Grey. “That either undermines the award or shows De Bruyne was never able to play well for 3 or 4 games in a row.”
I’m sure Kevin will find comfort in his two Player of the Season awards.
Team news
Pep Guardiola acknowledges the emotional pull of the contest: Kevin De Bruyne will start and lead City. Mateo Kovacic returns after missing the FA Cup final, but here’s the big one: Rodri makes it on to the bench. Bournemouth are without Alex Scott, who sustained a fractured jaw against Aston Villa earlier in the month. There is a start for Dean Huijsen, soon to be Real Madrid’s.
Manchester City: Ederson, Nunes, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Gündogan, De Bruyne, Silva, Marmoush, Haaland
Subs: Ortega, Aké, Grealish, Doku, Nico, Rodri, Foden, Bobb, O’Reilly
Bournemouth: Arrizabalaga, Araujo, Zabaryni, Huijsen, Kerkez, Cook, Adams, Tavernier, Semenyo, Kluivert, Evanilson
Subs: Dennis, Senesi, Smith, Soler, Akinmboni, Brooks, Winterburn, Jebbison, Silcott-Duberry
Will Unwin
Before the fans filtered in, a plethora of cardboard crowns were carried around the concourse at the Etihad Stadium in preparation. There are plans aplenty to celebrate the end of Kevin De Bruyne’s time at Manchester City with the Belgian entering the final weeks of his contract – a mosaic of the 33-year-old was unveiled at the training ground earlier on Tuesday. This will be the last time he ever graces this stadium in blue and he is unlikely to carry on to the Club World Cup.
Supporters will line the players’ entrance for a glimpse of their hero who has made them get off their seats over the past decade, becoming the club’s most successful icon in the process, earning trinkets and medals galore, six Premier League titles and a Champions League. The body has failed him in recent times but he can still show glimpses of the phenomenal midfielder he can be. The ferocious schedule has taken its toll on De Bruyne but he will keep going, eager to thrash in a 30-yard shot with either foot or create something out of nothing. There will be a few tears come full time and even more if City do not win and put their qualification for the Champions League in jeopardy.
Preamble
We’re approaching 10 years since Kevin De Bruyne left Wolfsburg for Manchester City, signed for a club-record fee of £55m. The eyebrows were raised to Ancelotti levels.
This was the guy Chelsea had let go just a year and a half earlier for £18m, his time at Stamford Bridge yielding three league appearances and not much joy under José Mourinho. He was subsequently exceptional in Germany, but could he crack it in the so-called Best League in the World?
Six Premier League medals is the answer, one of them part of a treble campaign, all sorts of individual gongs to go with them. His 420 appearances for City have returned 108 goals and 177 (!) assists, and then there’s the how: vicious passes, crosses on a string, coldly efficient in every move but still a gorgeous, joyous, eternally watchable footballer. Today he says goodbye to the Etihad as City welcome Bournemouth.
But this isn’t a testimonial. City are sixth with Champions League football still not secure, while the Cherries had their number in the reverse fixture. There’s work to do before Kev bids adieu. Kick-off’s at 8pm BST.
