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| Kevin De Bruyne Almost as Good as Messi at Passing, Says Pep Guardiola. |
As the Premier League season nears its end, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola had nothing but praise for Kevin De Bruyne. But while he called De Bruyne a phenomenal passer, Guardiola still placed him second-best — behind none other than Lionel Messi.
De Bruyne: World-Class, But Not No. 1
Pep has worked with some of the best midfielders in the world, including Xavi, Iniesta, and David Silva. Yet when asked who the greatest passer he’s coached is, his answer was clear: “Messi is first, Kevin De Bruyne is second.”
According to Guardiola, Messi stands out because of his ability to deliver mind-blowing passes in the most dangerous areas of the field — right near the opponent’s box. That said, De Bruyne is not far behind.
“Kevin is unique,” Pep said. “Just look at the stats — goals, assists, what he creates in the final third. That’s why he’s been one of the greatest players in this club’s history.”
The End of an Era at Manchester City
Last month, De Bruyne announced that he would leave Manchester City at the end of the season, once his contract expires. After 10 unforgettable years in a City shirt and helping the club win 16 trophies, his final home appearance will likely come against Bournemouth in their second-to-last Premier League match.
Under Guardiola, De Bruyne has made 258 league appearances, delivered 109 assists, and completed over 10,600 of his 12,889 passes with 82.4% accuracy. Even in the attacking half, he maintains a solid 80% pass accuracy.
For comparison, Messi made 136 LaLiga appearances for Pep’s Barcelona, completing 6,354 of 7,479 passes (85% accuracy) and notching 55 assists during that time.
Finding a Replacement? Easier Said Than Done
Manchester City had reportedly shown interest in Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz and Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White as potential replacements for De Bruyne. But it seems the club has backed off from pursuing Wirtz.
Guardiola admitted that filling De Bruyne’s shoes won’t be easy.
“Some players are just incredibly hard to replace — and Kevin is definitely one of them,” said Pep. “But football moves on, and so do we.”
Kevin De Bruyne’s departure will undoubtedly leave a huge gap in Manchester City’s midfield. But his legacy is set in stone. According to Pep Guardiola, only Messi tops him when it comes to passing and playmaking. For City fans and football lovers everywhere, De Bruyne will always be remembered as one of the game’s modern-day maestros.
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