On Reflection: Why Kevin De Bruyne could come back to haunt PSG

It was like a game of headers and volleys that kids all over the world still play. The ball came to Sergio Aguero, he scooped it up to David Silva, who crisply laid it off to Kevin de Bruyne to volley home Manchester City’s third goal in the 4-0 win over Bournemouth. This was City at their attacking best, in the form that will give Champions League opponents Paris Saint-Germain cause for concern ahead of this week’s quarter-final tie.

What was more impressive was that it was De Bruyne’s first appearance for City since picking up an injury in the League Cup semi-final against Everton 10 weeks ago. At that point, City were one point behind joint-leaders Arsenal and Leicester. Nine rounds later, City have lost to Leicester, Spurs, Liverpool and Manchester United and drawn with Norwich. Now they are 12 points behind Leicester in fourth place, with United and West Ham breathing down City’s neck.

It would be too easy to say that De Bruyne’s injury has derailed City’s season but there is certainly more to the common narrative that this is a team reliant on Vincent Kompany and Sergio Aguero, two injury-prone veterans of precious title success at the Etihad.

Raheem Sterling has had an inconsistent first season at City, as he admitted in a recent interview with Sky Sports. “My year has been a bit stop-start,” he said. “I started off really well at the start of the campaign. We went on an unbeaten run and we were top of the Premier League - and then I got a bit sloppy. I’m not trying to make up excuses or anything, but it was probably the number of games that were turning around. It made it very difficult for me. I’m still growing physically so that was a bit hard.”

There have been no such issues for De Bruyne, who has hit the ground running. His six goals and nine assists in 19 starts don't tell the whole story. He has given City a cutting-edge in the final third and scored some crucial goals in the process: most notably a last-minute winner in the dramatic Champions League group stage win over Sevilla. De Bruyne’s finishing is second only to Aguero at the club. Despite that, he still flies under the radar.

“He's a very important player. I think that before he was injured he made very good performances," City coach Manuel Pellegrini said after the win against Bournemouth. "He was one of the players that scored more goals and was playing very well. It was unlucky for him to have that injury for about two months.”

Pellegrini deserves credit too, for playing De Bruyne as the No. 10 just behind Aguero so pushing Silva wide, which is where he has played for Spain. “I think playing forward near Kun [Aguero] gave him a little bit more space so he did not have to work so hard as a midfielder because after two months it is not easy for him to have good pace. I was sure that he was going to retain [form] the same way that he finished before his injury.”

According to his former coach at Genk, Hans Vanhaezebrouck, De Bruyne is a better player than his compatriot Eden Hazard. “Everyone knew that De Bruyne was a great talent but he is a more complete player than Hazard,” he told Belgian TV show Extra Time in 2013. “He has a better understanding of the game. He can play on the left or right, wide or inside. He can dribble, play the ball inside or shoot from distance. He can even play left, right or in the hole or as a second midfielder alongside a holding player.”

That versatility may have cost De Bruyne in the past. “Ever since I turned pro everyone has given an opinion about my best position,” he told Sport/Foot magazine in a conversation about his role in the Belgium team in 2014. “I don’t care [about the debate]. I can play in five positions and I think it's an advantage: the four attacking positions and even as number six.”

These must be words that Pep Guardiola, City’s coach next season, dreams of hearing. More than Sterling, who is some way from the finished product – especially when it comes to his finishing - De Bruyne reflects the Spaniard’s vision of attacking versatility. If anyone can play as a false nine and make it work, it would be the Belgian.

“My contribution is primarily an attacking one,” De Bruyne added. “So my job remains the same: give assists and try to score. I am quite fast even if I'm not the fastest in the squad. It does not cause me too many problems because I have good reaction speed. I know very quickly what I'll do. People expect me to make a difference, with a pass or goal. The cameras are always pointed at those who decide an encounter: a striker who scored three goals, a keeper who stops everything. And sometimes that’s me. There are not many players of my style in the squad.”

De Bruyne’s agent Patrick de Koster revealed earlier this season that two other clubs wanted De Bruyne before City got their man. They are both in action this week: Bayern Munich and City’s opponents on Wednesday, PSG.

“The French club really wanted him,” said De Koster. “I met Olivier Letang (assistant sporting director at PSG) a few times. We considered the possible role of Kevin before talking numbers. Their priority was Kevin De Bruyne and not Angel Di Maria. But the transfer of Kevin, if it happened, would have cost more than Di Maria (who was €63m), I am 100 per cent convinced of that.”

PSG’s loss is City’s gain. This week De Bruyne will come up against Di Maria and his PSG team-mates. When the draw was made three weeks ago, PSG were favourites to progress. De Bruyne’s timely return from injury has given City renewed hope.