<a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/football/article/uefa-champions-league-kevin-de-bruyne-rocket-leaves-man-city-and-madrid-level-23285641" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">Kevin De Bruyne's</a> shot flew like a missile, skimming just above the turf in a trajectory not dissimilar to Carlos Alberto's glorious goal for Brazil in the 1970 World Cup final.
Of course, this was no title match for <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/football/article/hope-he-doesnt-score-23285447" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">Manchester City</a> it was the first leg of the Champions League semifinals but with the eyes of the world on the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, it sure felt like one.
Who else, then, should step up but De Bruyne, the man who delivers for City on the big occasion time and again.
Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/football/article/not-a-derby-its-the-derby-23285629" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">Inter eye ultimate glory over AC Milan in all-important Champions League semis</a>
The Belgium playmaker looked to the sky and raised both his arms before performing a rare knee slide after his long-range equalizer for City in the 1-1 draw against Real Madrid on Tuesday.
De Bruyne knew how significant the goal was. How good it was, too.
He is making a habit of it.
City has played <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/football/article/real-madrid-beat-wasteful-chelsea-to-reach-champions-league-semis-23281756" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">Real Madrid</a> in the Champions League's knockout stage in three of the last four seasons, and De Bruyne has scored each time. And against Atletico Madrid last year, City won 1-0 after two fiery matches in the quarterfinals and it was De Bruyne with the only goal.
His goals in the final stretch of this season, as City chases the Premier League-Champions League-FA Cup treble, have come against Liverpool, Arsenal (two goals) and now Madrid.
In only one of his last eight games has De Bruyne not scored or had an assist.
<a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/other-sports/article/a-bit-unreal-to-be-honest-23284722" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">Erling Haaland</a> has earned most of the plaudits of late because of a scoring record not seen in the modern era in English soccer, but underpinning it all is De Bruyne with his artistry and creative genius.
Maybe this is the season when De Bruyne gets his career-defining moment in the Champions League.
Until now, the indelible image of him in the competition is from the 2021 final, when he staggered off the field before the hour mark of City's underwhelming 1-0 loss to Chelsea with a fractured eye socket and a broken nose following a clash of heads with Antonio Rudiger.
To say De Bruyne has unfinished business in the Champions League is an understatement. He couldn't be doing any more to get his team back into the final.
And he appears to have gained new confidence in the final months of a season that took a worrying turn during the six weeks immediately after the World Cup, when De Bruyne English soccer's player of the year in 2020 and '21 was dropped for some matches and City manager <a href="https://www.mid-day.com/sports/football/article/as-haaland-breaks-goals-record-guardiola-issues-warning-23284577" target="_blank" rel="none noopener">Pep Guardiola</a> went public with his criticism of the midfielder's performances and condition.
If that was a tactic to shake De Bruyne out of his torpor, it has worked.
Now he either plays as the most attacking of City's central midfielders, running off and behind Haaland against teams such as Arsenal last month who press high up the field. Or he has to take a deeper position against opponents content to sit back and defend, relying instead on his delivery from out wide or long-range shots.
Against Madrid, it was the latter.
We see it every single day in training you wouldn't choose anyone else for it to fall to, City winger Jack Grealish said of De Bruyne's 25-meter strike from Ilkay Gundogan's lay-off at the edge of the area.
Seven of De Bruyne's 14 goals in the Champions League have come from outside the area.
Stop Haaland in the penalty box and teams still have De Bruyne to deal with outside it.
That's the challenge facing Madrid in the second leg at Etihad Stadium next week.
This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.
 <script async="async" data-cfasync="false" src="//pl23789885.revenuecpmgate.com/7445444aea29efc3d061cbd866026c06/invoke.js"></script>
 <div id="container-7445444aea29efc3d061cbd866026c06"></div>

Kevin De Bruyne`s shot flew like a missile, skimming just above the turf in a trajectory not dissimilar to Carlos Alberto`s glorious goal for Brazil in the 1970 World Cup final

De Bruyne out of Haaland's shadow, delivers again in Madrid

Jack Grealish: We feel unstoppable

Kevin De Bruyne's shot flew like a missile, skimming just above the turf in a trajectory not dissimilar to Carlos Alberto's glorious goal for Brazil in the 1970 World Cup final

De Bruyne out of Haaland's shadow, delivers again in Madrid

Trending Stories

Latest Photos

Latest Videos

Latest Web Stories

Mid-Day Fast

Home / Sports / Football / Article / De Bruyne out of Haaland's shadow, delivers again in Madrid

De Bruyne out of Haaland's shadow, delivers again in Madrid

Trending Stories

Latest Photos

Latest Videos

Latest Web Stories

Mid-Day Fast