Pep Guardiola, manager of Manchester City, has clarified that Kevin De Bruyne’s absence from the starting lineup in their Champions League match against Real Madrid was purely a “technical decision,” and not due to injury.
De Bruyne, City’s standout playmaker for several seasons, was left on the bench throughout the 3-1 loss at the Bernabeu on Wednesday, which resulted in City’s elimination from the Champions League with a 6-3 aggregate score. This marks the third time in four years that Manchester City has been knocked out by the Spanish giants.
When questioned about the decision, Guardiola stated, “Kevin De Bruyne didn’t start against Real Madrid as I made a technical decision. He was not injured.”
He added, “My decision. Yeah, of course, he can still play in big games… he played against Madrid at home, of course he can play.”
Guardiola further emphasized that his relationship with De Bruyne remains strong, saying, “The relationship with Kevin De Bruyne is exceptional. I can’t be thankful enough for what he’s done for me, the team, everyone. It’s just a decision.”
The City manager also explained that he generally doesn’t discuss the reasons for such decisions with his players, explaining, “Normally I don’t speak with players, not just Kevin, on why they don’t play. They don’t ask me why when I decide to let them play from the beginning or during. It’s just a decision from what I’ve seen, for many reasons, a few. Never ever is it personal, never ever I’m upset.”
