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Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne hilariously played down his growing relationship with teammate Erling Haaland when asked if it was 'love at first sight'.
De Bruyne and Haaland's bromance is growing at the Etihad, and Pep Guardiola's side are reaping the rewards. The Belgian midfielder has been in scintillating form, scoring ten goals and providing 31 assists in 48 games across competitions this season. His Norweigan teammate has been equally impressive, netting 52 goals in as many games.
The Cityzens midfielder was asked about his growing friendship with Haaland ahead of his side's UEFA Champions League final against Inter Milan on Saturday (June 10). He laughed, responding (via Football Daily):
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"No, no, I'm happy with my wife!"
Haaland arrived at Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund last summer and has taken to English football with ease. He has improved an already rampant City side and has forged a formidable partnership with De Bruyne.
The duo have been standout performers for Guardiola's side that have already won the Premier League and FA Cup. They look to become just the second team in English history to win the continental treble.
De Bruyne and Haaland are yet to win the Champions League. They will need to be kept quiet by Inter, as they're emerging as contenders for the 2023 Ballon d'Or amid their superb campaigns.
De Bruyne has, however, downplayed a potential romance with the Norweigan. He married Michele Lacroix in 2017, with the couple said to have met in 2014 when the midfielder was at Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg, per The Sun.
Manchester City's De Bruyne tips Haaland to hit 800 goals
Haaland has enjoyed a record-breaking season in his first year at the Etihad. The young forward has broken the record for the most goals in a 38-game Premier League season (36). He won the Golden Boot as a result and is Europe's in-form striker.
De Bruyne has lauded the Norweigan and believes he's capable of reaching 800 goals in his career. He said (via The Guardian):
“Erling is so obsessed with goals. He already has about 200 goals, so he can probably go to 600, 700 or 800 if he stays fit and does the things that he does."
The Belgian continued by lavishing praise on the type of striker the 22-year-old is but added that he isn't as robotic as his goalscoring accomplishments suggest:
"Erling is a top-level striker. I don’t see Erling as different to a lot of people. He is a normal football player like everybody else, and he doesn’t take himself too seriously."
The former Dortmund frontman has bagged 187 goals in 235 club career appearances. He's only just getting started at City and will be eager to add to that tally in the Champions League final.
