Pep Guardiola, the manager of Manchester City, has denied rumors of a falling out with star player Kevin de Bruyne, stating that he is “desperate” to get the Belgian back to his peak.
In yet another injury-plagued season, De Bruyne has only started four Premier League games.
However, since returning from an eight-week hiatus due to an abdominal ailment last month, he has only played 72 minutes in five substitute appearances.
De Bruyne was added by Guardiola with 12 minutes remaining in Sunday’s 2-0 loss to Liverpool at Anfield.
When Caoimhin Kelleher denied De Bruyne, it was still the visitors’ best chance.
Following the game, commentators Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville both questioned Guardiola’s deployment of De Bruyne in a run of six losses and a draw in seven games during a conversation on Sky Sports.
“There’s something wrong with De Bruyne,” Carragher stated. There is a problem between those two.
In agreement, Neville described Guardiola’s handling of the playmaker as “unusual, bizarre, strange.”
Guardiola stated there was no problem with De Bruyne prior to the Premier League match against Nottingham Forest, although he did not specifically identify the two.
“People say I’ve got a problem with Kevin,”. “Do you think I like to not play with Kevin? I don’t want Kevin to play? The guy who has the most talent in the final third. I don’t want it? I have a personal problem with him after nine years together?
“He’s delivered to me the biggest success to this club. I’m desperate to have his best.
“But he’s been five months injured and two months injured. He’s 33 years old. He needs time to find his best.”
De Bruyne missed the first half of the 2023 Champions League final triumph over Inter Milan due to a recurrence of a hamstring injury, which kept him out of action from August to the start of January last season.
De Bruyne has stated that negotiations for an extension are still ongoing as he prioritizes getting back to full fitness before his contract ends next summer.
