De Bruyne loves a Champions League tie against Real Madrid

Although he has been in decline in the last year and his time in Manchester is running out, Kevin de Bruyne is a legend at City. The Belgian is surely (with respect to legends such as Aguero, Silva or Yaya Toure) the franchise player in the history of the Sky Blues.
A midfielder full of talent and with an innate facility to score or assist his teammates, something that his numbers show since he landed at the Etihad Stadium back in 2015. Now, at 33 years of age and in the midst of a very difficult season, De Bruyne faces his last great challenge: another Champions League tie against Real Madrid.
The Spanish team has been, without a doubt, the Belgian's rival par excellence in his European career. In up to five knockout rounds (six including this year's) he has faced the team from the Spanish capital. He has suffered painful eliminations and has also achieved historic qualification, although all with a common denominator. De Bruyne is used to being decisive against 'Los Blancos'.
It is not known whether Pep Guardiola will use him for the first leg at the Etihad. What is clear is the Drongen native's attacking credentials against the 15-time European champions. De Bruyne has played nine games against the Spanish capital outfit and his numbers couldn't be better.

The Belgian has 4 goals and 3 assists in those games. In other words, he has been directly involved in 7 of his team's goals, which leaves an average of 0.78 G/A per game. After failing to contribute any goal or assist in his first two games against ‘Los Blancos’ (0-0 and 1-0 against them), De Bruyne made his first big appearance against Madrid.
In their third clash, the first leg of the round of 16 of the 2019-20 Champions League, the No 17 provided an assist and scored a goal (from the penalty spot) to give his side a 2-1 win, City ratifying their progress with a 2-1 win at the Etihad without any direct intervention from De Bruyne. The Cityzen player repeated the feat (goal and assist) in the 4-3 win in the first leg of the 2021-22 semi-finals, although his record was forgotten after the Merengue comeback in the second leg.
Back in the 2022-23 season, De Bruyne made the difference against Madrid, scoring the equaliser in the 1-1 draw in the first leg of the semi-final at the Bernabeu and setting up Bernardo Silva for the 1-0 scoreline that lead to the 4-0 win in the second leg. Finally, less than a year ago, De Bruyne, after missing the first leg of the quarter-final, had the Sky Blues fans dreaming with a goal that forced extra time.