'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Manchester City fans on X have slammed Kevin De Bruyne after he struggled to make an impact during their 3-2 loss against Real Madrid. The two sides faced each other in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 32 at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday, February 11.
Los Blancos got off to a brilliant start but Manchester City broke the deadlock against the run of play in the 19th minute following Erling Haaland's clinical finish. Carlo Ancelotti's men got back into the game in the 60th minute after Kylian Mbappe's acrobatic volley crept into the back of the net.
Dani Ceballos' clumsy challenge on Phil Foden inside his own box resulted in a penalty, which Haaland converted to hand the Cityzens the lead (80'). However, late goals from Brahim Diaz (86') and Jude Bellingham (90+2') ensured Real Madrid sealed a deserved comeback win.
Trending
Manchester City veteran Kevin De Bruyne had a poor performance as he completed 25 passes from an attempted 34 with an accuracy of 74 percent. The 33-year-old struggled with his mobility, completing none of his two attempted dribbles, and losing eight duels in the process. In addition, he landed no shots on goal and completed just two crosses from seven attempts (29 percent accuracy).
One fan posted:
"De Bruyne is beyond finished man, not even Saudi is the place for him."
Another fan tweeted:
"Kevin de bruyne. You was good dude man. Time to hang it up soon before they rewrite history."
Other fans reacted below:
"Kevin De Bruyne is a passenger right now. The system doesn’t suit him. He needs overload runners," one fan commented
"Kevin De Bruyne was a passenger tonight—off the pace and a liability for 70 minutes. His legs are gone, and it’s painful to watch," another added
"I didn't expect De Bruyne to be washed washed at 33," one fan admitted
"Feels so bad to watch him play nowadays, he ain’t even that old man," another chimed in
"Pep boys have completely given up on the tie. De Bruyne needs to be shipped to Saudi. Horrible performance," one fan stated
How did Manchester City fare in their 3-2 UCL loss against Real Madrid?
Real Madrid showed great resilience to come back from behind and seal a vital 3-2 win over Manchester City in their Champions League clash. They now hold a slender advantage going into the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu as they look to progress to the UCL Round of 16.
The Cityzens had more possession with 54 percent of the ball. They completed 450 passes with an accuracy of 91 percent. Meanwhile, Real Madrid had 46 percent possession and completed 376 passes with an accuracy of 90 percent.
However, Real Madrid looked much more dominant in attack, landing 20 shots in total with eight being on target (creating six big chances with an xG of 3.42). In comparison, Manchester City had 11 shots in total with four being on target (xG of 1.60).
Disclaimer: The above stats were taken from FotMob on February 12 at 3:45 AM IST. They are subject to change.
