Kevin De Bruyne says Manchester City are in much better shape to take on Real Madrid in a Champions League semi-final than they were when they crashed out in 2016. The Belgium ace was in his first season with the Blues, under Manuel Pellegrini, when they drew 0-0 at the Etihad and lost to a Fernando own goal in the Bernabeu.
City were poor that night, looking like a rabbit caught in the headlights, but this time they take a 4-3 lead to the home of the 13-times champions and also carry more confidence, especially after beating the newly-crowned Spanish champions home and away last time they met, in the last 16 of two years ago.
De Bruyne and Fernandinho are the only surviving players from that sobering defeat, and the Belgium ace says City are definitely in better shape than they were then. He also suggested that other clubs might have caught up with a Madrid team that was “the powerhouse” of that time.
