De Bruyne 'doesn't care' Manchester City missed out on Lionel Messi transfer
Saturday 12 September 2020 08:47, UK
Kevin De Bruyne has warned Liverpool how difficult it is to win back-to-back Premier League titles.
Manchester City successfully defended their crown in the 2018/19 season but were pushed all the way by Liverpool.
Pep Guardiola's men finished on 98 points, just one ahead of Liverpool, who responded by finishing 18 points ahead of City last season to end their 30-year wait for a league title.
"It was harder than we expected and we needed a very big fight with them to get it done," De Bruyne told the Daily Mail. "Mentally, sometimes it's tougher. Some teams are a little more focused on beating you.
"Sometimes, some people find it more difficult after winning to get that same feeling again. It is very difficult to recreate the same feeling even with the same team.
"There is so much in life that goes on personally. Every little thing can change you. Injury can change you. Football is all about circumstances and it's already difficult enough to try and win one, never mind twice.
"I think they [Liverpool] can reach the levels again. I don't think you need to change the team to have the same feeling or ambition. But I don't know how they feel. I don't know their desire. For everyone, it is personal."
Manchester City were heavily linked with Lionel Messi during the close season, only for the Argentine star to reluctantly stay at Barcelona after he was denied a free transfer.
But even when a switch to City looked on the cards, De Bruyne never even considered the possibility of playing alongside Messi.
"I really don't care. I really don't," he said. "If he would have come, it would have helped us because, for me, he has been the best player of all time. But I am never looking at what players may come and what may happen.
"You play with the players you have and I think we have a pretty good team in that respect. It would be stupid of me to assume what would happen if a certain player came. It happens in football all the time. People are supposed to come and eventually they don't."
Manchester City are not in action on the opening weekend of the Premier League season. They open their campaign away to Wolves on September 21, live on Sky Sports.
