De Bruyne Acknowledged As Second-Best Passer After Messi By Guardiola Ahead Of Final Match

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Pep Guardiola has praised Kevin De Bruyne's passing skills, placing him just behind Lionel Messi. As De Bruyne's final match for Manchester City nears, Guardiola reflects on the Belgian's impact. De Bruyne announced his departure from City at the season's end after a decade at the Etihad Stadium. His last home game will be against Bournemouth in City's second-to-last Premier League fixture.

De Bruyne's contribution to Manchester City is immense, having secured 16 trophies during his tenure. Guardiola, who has coached stars like Xavi, Andres Iniesta, and David Silva, ranks De Bruyne highly. "One is Messi," Guardiola stated. "And the other two, let me think about it... OK, let me put Kevin second." He emphasized Messi's proximity to the goal but acknowledged De Bruyne's unique talent.

Guardiola highlighted De Bruyne's exceptional stats and influence in the final third of the pitch. "It's just the stats, the goals, the assists that he provides to the team in the final third and the talent," he said. This recognition underscores why De Bruyne is considered one of City's greatest players ever.

Under Guardiola's management, De Bruyne has made 258 league appearances with an impressive 82.4% passing accuracy. He has completed 10,622 out of 12,889 passes and recorded 109 assists. In contrast, Messi achieved an 85% passing accuracy during his time with Guardiola at Barcelona.

City had shown interest in Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz and Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White as potential successors for De Bruyne. However, reports suggest they have stepped back from pursuing Wirtz. Guardiola admitted replacing De Bruyne would be challenging due to his unique qualities.

"There are players who are really, really difficult for many reasons," Guardiola noted. Despite this challenge, he acknowledged that City must continue progressing beyond this season.

Messi made 136 LaLiga appearances under Guardiola at Barcelona and completed 6,354 of his 7,479 passes while registering 55 assists. These figures highlight both players' exceptional abilities under Guardiola's guidance.

As Manchester City prepares for life without Kevin De Bruyne, his legacy remains significant. The club faces a tough task in finding someone who can match his contributions on and off the field.