How old is ‘old’ for an elite footballer? Kevin de Bruyne has contemplated the question a few times since he turned 31.
There was the interview he gave before the World Cup, where he said his Belgium team had “no chance” in the tournament because they were “too old”. Some of the senior Belgian players discussed the remark with him before exiting the tournament at the group phase.
Then there was his comment to reporters after Manchester City’s 1-0 win at Crystal Palace at the weekend: “I’m an old man in this game, I know how it is.”
De Bruyne had come off the bench for the last 11 minutes, the fourth time in nine league matches he had been named among the City substitutes. “Obviously you want to play as much as possible,” he added, “but if you don’t, you do your best for 10 minutes.”
De Bruyne’s best, even with a little less time on the pitch than he has been used to in his eight seasons as serial champion and chief creator at City, is still better than anybody else in English football when it comes to providing goalscoring chances.
Nobody has more assists than his dozen in the Premier League this season. He will have a large say in the next scoring records Erling Haaland collects, too. Of the giant Norwegian’s 34 City goals so far in his first campaign in English football, De Bruyne has directly set up nine.
“I’m not an old man,” De Bruyne clarified yesterday, looking ahead to Tuesday’s Champions League second leg against RB Leipzig, a tie poised at 1-1. “I’m an old man in this game.” He had been aware of some observers wondering if De Bruyne has reached, even passed his peak. “I know how it works, when people talk about you you notice these things a lot more. People talk about form, about how you play.
“I’m a perfectionist,” he acknowledged, “I want to be 100 per cent, stay at as high [a level] as possible for as long as possible. I don’t know how long I’ve got left. As long as I’m having fun I’ll keep on playing.”
Leipzig 1 Man City 1: Player ratings
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RB LEIPZIG RATINGS: Janis Blaswich 8: No serious saves to make in first-half despite City’s dominance but no chance with Mahrez’s clinical finish. Excellent one-handed save from Gundogan’s low shot in 73rd minute. EPA -
Lukas Klostermann 5: Struggled to deal with Grealish’s direct running and cuts inside from left. Hooked at break. AFP -
Willi Orban 8: Leipzig’s captain was impressive at back and combined well with defensive partner Gvardiol to keep Haaland quiet. PA -
Josko Gvardiol 7: The Croatian is one of the most in-demand defenders in Europe but was fooled by Gundogan dummy ahead of Mahrez’s goal. Fine thumping header to make it 1-1 in second half. AP -
Marcel Halstenberg 7: Couldn’t handle some of Walker’s attacking runs in first-half. Good cross to pick out Henrichs just after half-time that substitute headed over, produced even better one to set up Gvardiol to level the scores. EPA -
Konrad Laimer 6: Chasing City shadows as the English champions passed rings around their German opponents in first-half. Better after break when Leipzig came out with far more positive attitude. AFP -
Xaver Schlager 5: Badly at fault for City’s opener when he gave away possession leading to Mahrez scoring. Blocked Mahrez shot just after break that looked set to make it 2-0. EPA -
Dominik Szoboszlai 6: Hungarian winger, and former Salzburg teammate of Erling Haaland, came to life in 68th minute with stinging shot from distance that Ederson turned behind for corner. Getty -
Emil Forsberg 6: Like rest of Leipzig’s attackers, offered no threat at all until second half when Leipzig finally decided to make a game of it. Made way for dangerman Nkunku. EPA -
Timo Werner 6: Former Chelsea attacker had Leipzig’s first attempt on goal in first-half injury-time with shot that was easily saved and Leipzig would have wanted far more threat in opposition penalty area from the German international. EPA -
Andre Silva 6: Portuguese attacker was served less than scraps by his teammates in opening 45. Finally made an impact when he skinned Akanji on the hour but saw then his shot from tight angle saved. AP -
SUBS: Benjamin Henrichs (On for Klostermann 46’) 7: Offered some attacking urgency badly missing in opening half. Missed two chances soon after coming on, though – one a more difficult header over bar, the other a side-foot finish dragged wide that he should have scored. Getty -
Christopher Nkunku (On for Fosberg 66’) 5: Scored hat-trick against City last season but is only just coming back from injury. Looked rusty in what was only his second appearance since November. AFP -
Yussuf Poulsen (On for Silva 82’) N/A. Getty Amadou Haidara (On for Schlager 82’) N/A. Raum (On for Halstenberg 89') N/A. -
MAN CITY RATINGS: Ederson 7: A complete spectator until brink of half-time when he comfortably saved a Werner strike. Good save from Silva in 62nd minute and Szoboszlai soon after. Left in no man’s land by fine cross for Leipzig goal. Getty -
Kyle Walker 7: First Champions League appearance of season for England defender who piled forward as much as possible from first whistle. Crucial interception to stop pass putting Silva through on goal in second half when his attacking forays were more restricted. AP -
Manuel Akanji 7: Walk in park for Swiss defender until he was turned inside out by Silva just after hour mark and needed Ederson to come to his rescue. AFP -
Ruben Dias 7: Had game’s first effort on target but could only head Mahrez corner straight at keeper. Out-muscled and out-jumped by Gvardiol for Leipzig goal. PA -
Nathan Ake 7: Continuing at left-back for City and had been under absolutely no pressure until introduction of Henrichs made his life a bit more difficult. EPA -
Ilkay Gundogan 8: German international back on home soil and played important role in opening goal when he let Grealish pass go through his legs to put Mahrez through. Thought he had put City back in front but denied by brilliant save. AP -
Rodri 6: Had three scoring opportunities in first half with one shot and two headers but failed to get any of them on target. AFP -
Bernardo Silva 7: Made one mazy run into Leipzig box in first half, was knocked to floor but able to get up still in possession and set-up chance for Grealish. Buzzed around, tried to make things happen but without much joy in terms of defence-splitting passes. Reuters -
Riyad Mahrez 7: Clean as a whistle first-time finish to put City in front after 27 minutes. Almost made it two just after break but had goal-bound shot blocked. Getty -
Jack Grealish 7: Fine interception and pass to set-up Mahrez for opener. Could have made it 2-0 himself when he cut in from left but sent shot over bar. A threat but final ball and decision-making not always the best. AP -
Erling Haaland 5: Despite City having 74 per cent possession in opening 45 minutes, Haaland had no opportunities to score and little service. Too quick for Gvardiol in 68th minute but scuffed his shot wide with just keeper to beat. Looked a frustrated figure up front. EPA
City’s manager, Pep Guardiola, admitted to some concerns, since the new year, that De Bruyne’s form and influence may have been affected by the demanding schedule of 2022-23. He has given specific advice to the midfielder not to overcomplicate his game. “It’s been a difficult season for all of us, me included, with the World Cup and many things,” said Guardiola.
“I’d like Kevin to go with the [basic] principles. His incredible ability to score and pass, I always believe, will increase with the simple things: Don’t lose the ball, move from outside to inside, attack the channels – and then creating incredible passes will be easier.”
The periods on the bench have been designed to ensure De Bruyne is at his best for the decisive stage of the season, for matches like Tuesday’s, against a Leipzig team who came back strongly in the second half of the first leg, are very much in the contest in a tight Bundesliga title race and enjoying the fine form of their own creative 31-year-old, Emil Forsberg.
Like De Bruyne, the Swede has been at his current club since 2015, and, like his Belgian counterpart, has galvanised a transformative era. Forsberg was part of the Leipzig team promoted to the top-flight in 2016. He was the top assister of goals across all of Europe’s strongest leagues the following season, his 22 goal-making passes trumping De Bruyne’s 19 from that year.
He arrives in Manchester on a hot streak as a finisher, his penalty in the 3-0 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach at the weekend his fourth goal in as many Bundesliga games. “I don’t know to explain it, I’m just going with the flow,” Forsberg smiled to reporters, and, like De Bruyne, he referenced his age. “It’s fun being around the younger lads – they keep me young.”
Like Guardiola with his Belgian pass-master, Leipzig manager Marco Rose strategically rests Forsberg. He has played a full 90 minutes just once this season, and been used from the bench in half his league and European outings.
“Because of his age, you can see sometimes he reaches the point where it’s enough, at around 70 or 80 minutes,” said Rose, who regards Forsberg “as an important factor is how I connect with the team. He gives a lot to the younger players”.
Rose will rely a little more heavily on his senior playmaker on Tuesday, and hope Forsberg’s eye for goal remains sharp, with the forwards Dani Olmo and Christopher Nkunku out with injury. “Now’s the time he must really go for it,” said Rose.
