MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) -Manchester City welcome a familiar face back to the Etihad Stadium on Thursday as they kick off their Champions League campaign against Napoli and Kevin de Bruyne.
But while City boss Pep Guardiola shed tears when the Belgium midfielder made his final appearance for his team last season, the Spaniard said he will enjoy De Bruyne’s return on Thursday “after the game.”
De Bruyne, who won 19 trophies during his glittering 10-year spell at City and captained the side through some of its most dominant seasons, makes a swift return to Manchester following his summer move to Naples.
Though he now wears Napoli blue, “King Kev” remains a beloved figure at the Etihad.
Guardiola is not surprised how seamlessly De Bruyne has slotted into Antonio Conte’s Italian team, scoring two goals in three matches.
“Of course it’s nice to have him back. The players in that level (Serie A) adapt so quickly and they don’t need that much time to adapt,” he said.
City were eliminated from last season’s Champions League by Real Madrid in the knockout phase playoffs.
Guardiola said that while the former European giants were not considered favourites this season, he was approaching the league phase with cautious optimism.
“Just enjoy the moment. We’re happy to be here after the path we have been (on) so we’re just focusing on tomorrow and the game we have to play and starting well in this competition,” he said. “If you start with a bad result it can be difficult.”
City can draw on the European experience of their new goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was a key player in Paris St Germain’s Champions League triumph last season.
“I would always say in the last decade we have had incredible goalkeepers,” Guardiola said. “(But) Gigi, at his age, just 26 years old, he can play for us for many years and he is a top-class keeper.”
With De Bruyne’s return adding an emotional layer to the fixture and both teams eager to start strongly, Thursday’s clash promises to be a compelling encounter at the Etihad.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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