Manchester City star Kevin de Bruyne is officially back in the squad after recovering from surgery. The Belgian midfielder revealed that the post-hamstring operation recovery gave him ample time to spend with his family, which he relished.
“I’ve played the last 10 years non-stop, so maybe it was good for me to reset a little bit and take care of myself when it is not really possible during the year,” de Bruyne told journalists after his return to Guardiola’s side.
The skipper entered Sunday’s FA 3rd round clash against Huddersfield in the second half, needing only 17 minutes to assist a Jeremy Doku strike.
De Bruyne’s different kind of assist — his family
In the quiet of his home, away from the cheering crowds, 32-year-old Kevin found a different kind of assistance – supporting and spending time with his family. He also “assisted” one of Drake’s new songs during the downtime.
The off-time allowed him to deepen bonds and create more memories off the field. De Bruyne owns a mansion in the posh Alderley Edge neighborhood, 15 miles from Manchester.
“I was basically a taxi driver, but I enjoyed it … it was nice to bring my son and daughter to their practices and see their games. I think they enjoyed that Daddy could watch the games.”
The invaluable moments with his family will galvanize the visionary on the pitch, perhaps turning City’s season around.
“I enjoyed it in a way. At the beginning it was a big blow but I knew I was going to be out for four or five months so I thought to myself, I could enjoy the things that I’ve not been able to do with my family and friends,” he added.
“I turned a disadvantage into an advantage.”
De Bruyne has more assists (see his best) than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues since the beginning of last season. He’s only played three matches this campaign.
With the Premier League title race heating up, De Bruyne’s reemergence is vital but he also takes caution.
“I don’t expect to play too many games at the moment; Newcastle next week is a big game so I’ll expect to be back on the bench…”
“I want to play games but I must take care of myself…”
Photo: X/kevindebruyne
