Alious
Pep Guardiola has emphatically dismissed comparisons between Kevin De Bruyne and Tottenham’s Dejan Kulusevski during a recent press briefing.
The discussion arose following Kulusevski’s impressive display in Spurs’ Carabao Cup victory over Manchester City, where the hosts secured a 2-1 win through goals from Werner and Sarr, with only Nunes managing to respond for City.
The context of the comparison is particularly interesting given De Bruyne’s continued absence from City’s matchday squad.
Despite participating in first-team training, the Belgian midfielder is taking a cautious approach to his return, prioritizing full recovery over rushed comeback attempts.
When questioned post-match about potential similarities between Kulusevski and De Bruyne, Guardiola’s response was unequivocal. “No. Nobody is like Kevin,” the City manager declared, before elaborating on De Bruyne’s unique capabilities: “In his prime? The amount of things that Kevin produces in a game, nobody can do it!”
The timing of De Bruyne’s return remains uncertain, with Guardiola suggesting fans shouldn’t expect to see him in action before November’s international break.
The injury situation at City appears increasingly challenging, with Walker, Grealish, and Doku also sidelined, joining longer-term absentees Bobb and recently crowned Ballon d’Or winner Rodri on the treatment table.
The comparison attempt came after Spurs’ impressive cup performance, but Guardiola’s response effectively ended any debate about parallels between the two players, firmly establishing his view of De Bruyne’s unmatched influence on the game.
Alious
