Former footballer and now pundit, Stan Collymore, believes Man City’s Kevin De Bruyne doesn’t turn up in big games following the Belgian’s exit from the Champions League final on Saturday.
It is the second Champions League final in which the midfielder has exited the field of play injured, but the Man City star wasn’t anything special in the lead-up to him coming off of the pitch either.
This follows a poor World Cup campaign in December in which Belgium exited the competition at the group stages and Collymore believes there are question marks over the 31-year-old heading into next season.
Writing in his exclusive column for CaughtOffside, the former footballer said about the City star: “I honestly think there are big question marks over Kevin De Bruyne. I think in the very, very biggest games for Belgium he hasn’t turned up and in the two biggest games for Man City, the Champions League finals, he’s got injured. If you believe what you read he’s City’s highest earner, yes he creates lots of chances, yes he is the main man domestically, but I do wonder if in a year’s time the club will look beyond De Bruyne.”
De Bruyne has had an up-and-down campaign this time around but even then, the midfielder stepped up in several big games. The Belgian played a massive role in Man City’s Champions League semi-final tie against Real Madrid, scoring a goal and bagging two assists, whilst also contributing in the quarter-finals.
The 31-year-old also had two huge performances against fellow title challengers Arsenal in the Premier League – in addition to Liverpool and Man United.
A poor World Cup campaign can happen to anyone, even to greats such as Cristiano Ronaldo in 2014; therefore, stating that De Bruyne doesn’t turn up in big games seems a little harsh.
Don’t talk a load of old crap, man of the match in FA cup final, City much better when he plays. Who was Collymore anyway, football pundit my arse.