‘If we don’t win it everybody is going to say we are failures like the last five years!’: Kevin De Bruyne believes Manchester City will be written off if they fall short once again in the Champions League
- Kevin De Bruyne says City will be seen as failures if they don’t conquer Europe
- City won on all domestic fronts last year but fell short in the Champions League
- They now need to beat Real Madrid if they are to reach the quarter-finals
- However if they don’t beat Real, questions will be asked of Guardiola and his side
Kevin De Bruyne believes Manchester City will be branded as failures if they don’t win the Champions League this season.
Pep Guardiola’s side won every trophy in England last season but fell short in Europe after being dumped out by Tottenham in dramatic circumstances.
De Bruyne have never gone beyond the semi-finals in the Champions League and City now face a tricky task in getting to this year’s final, with Real Madrid standing in their way at the last-16 stage.
Kevin De Bruyne says Man City will be seen as failures if they don’t win the Champions League
While City dominated on domestic fronts in recent years, their failure to translate that on the European stage will continue to make headlines.
‘If we don’t win it [the Champions League] everybody is going to say we are failures like the last five years!’ De Bruyne told The Telegraph.
‘It’s something we’ve not won yet. We always want to win everything but sometimes another team is better or performing well – like Liverpool are doing this season.
‘It’s just that way and you just have to admit it. But we will just go there to win that game. You can’t look too much forwards and see what’s going to happen.’
De Bruyne (right) and his City team-mates react after being dumped out of Europe last year
De Bruyne was a part of the City squad that were beaten by Real Madrid over two legs in the semi-finals in 2016, and while they are the most successful team in the competition’s history, De Bruyne insists the gameplan will be the same on Wednesday.
‘Obviously it’s Madrid. They have won the most Champions Leagues out of everybody,’ the City midfielder added.
‘But I think we will go there to try to play our game like we always do and try to play offensive football, try to put them under pressure, try to have a good game and, if we can, win.’
