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Rob DawsonReporter
Pep Guardiola said Kevin De Bruyne will know he has a fight on his hands to regain his place in City of Manchester team.
De Bruyne returns to the team Win 3-1 end Watford on Sunday but haven’t started a game since Man City’s win last Manchester United after testing positive for COVID-19 during an international holiday.
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Man City have won five games in a row in the absence of the Belgian and Guardiola, who has confirmed De Bruyne will start. RB Leipzig on Tuesday, insisting the 30-year-old is aware of the task he faces.
“Kevin played the whole season from the beginning, he came after the Champions League final in difficult conditions and then had the aura[virus]”, said Guardiola in a press conference on Monday.
“He has to come back and fight for the position. He doesn’t have to show me anything. It’s for himself; show what he has and do what he did in every five or six years every three days.
“Competition is essential and he knows it but so Bernardo [Silva] and all the wingers. They have to show it in five minutes or for 90 minutes, they have to show quality to themselves and to others.
“Kevin has an aura[virus] when he was growing in his physical condition and that was a step backwards. Sufferers feel empty for the next few days. Tomorrow he will start and we will see how many minutes he can play. “
Man City is on a 7-match winning streak and has secured the top spot in Group A of the Champions League before traveling to Germany to face RB Leipzig.
The game will be played under closed doors following an increase in coronavirus cases in Europe and Guardiola has urged the public to continue to follow the restrictions.
“The concern is because the situation is not good in Germany and we have to learn that it is not being resolved,” he said.
“Wear a mask, keep social distance and be careful. It’s better to play with people but if the authorities talk behind closed doors, you know it’s because it’s dangerous.”
Gabriel Jesus Not fit enough to travel but Guardiola will include five young players in his squad including Cole Palmer, 19 years old, and James McAtee, 19 years old.
“They’re 18 or 19 years old and you have everything ahead of them,” said Guardiola.
“They have potential, great young players, we all agree but they need to tackle it perfectly. The potential is there. If we have to use them then it’s not a problem. .”
