As night falls, the curtains on the 16th round of the English Premier League (EPL) will be raised at 00:30 GMT on December 16th. Manchester City, the heart of the soccer city, will welcome the challenge of arch-rival Manchester United. In this tense atmosphere, the soul of Manchester City's midfield, Kevin De Bruyne, in front of the TNT Sports camera, looks back fondly on his ten-year journey to join the Blue Moon, and gives an in-depth analysis of the team's current situation and the upcoming derby in the same city.
Ten years of wind and rain, blue moon love deep
Facing the camera, De Bruyne said with deep emotion: "This time, words are difficult to describe. Sixteen years of career, ten of which were spent here. My child was born here, I have been rooted here for ten years, this place has long been integrated into my life. I chose this place because I wanted to maintain a constant and stable presence at the top. Nearly four hundred games is a spectacular achievement. City have always been at the top, and I've followed in the footsteps of the team with a lot of joy, gratitude and pride."
Family and Mancunian, double home
De Bruyne revealed that his children have become accustomed to the Manchester accent, especially his daughter, whose English pronunciation is surprisingly authentic. He smiled and said: "Most of the time I can understand them, especially my daughter. I find that the younger the children are, the better they speak English. The third child speaks the most, while the oldest prefers my mother tongue. However, they speak all kinds of languages to each other."
Moving forward in the face of skepticism
Reflecting on joining the club in 2015, De Bruyne said that despite being dubbed a "£60 million flunky" by the British media at the time, it hadn't affected his life: "Nowadays, I don't care about that anymore. Criticism and praise are all part of the job. I know what I'm capable of. When I left England, hardly anyone paid attention to me. The English were probably more interested in the Premier League and didn't know much about the other leagues. When they judged me, they didn't really see how much I had grown in two years. I focused on what I was doing, enjoyed it and believed I could reach that height."
The Chelsea Years and the Crosstown Derby
Speaking about his time at Chelsea, De Bruyne admitted: "It was not a very pleasant time, but I was only 21 years old and I saw things differently than I do today. I just wanted to play football, but for various reasons I couldn't control my own destiny. I didn't think I could change the coach's decision. Maybe, in a year's time it will change, but then I just want to play soccer."
On the upcoming derby, De Bruyne said, "I understand the importance of the game and the weight of the victory. But for me, it won't change the way I work. I have to do my job as always. I will give my all to win this game and at the same time I understand that this game means more to some people."
Competition and challenge, the true meaning of sports
De Bruyne believes that Manchester United have always been a formidable opponent for City, but sport is all about competition and accepting it is tough. "Whether United win or not, we always try to change that winning team. We have many victories but people don't want City to win the title every year because it doesn't fit the charm of soccer."
Facing City's recent woes, De Bruyne said, "We have to face up to the situation and accept that the status quo is not as good as we would like it to be, but we can't make excuses. We have to work hard, do our best and look for a breakthrough."
Soccer and life, the game and intuition
De Bruyne revealed that his childhood soccer idol used to be Michael Owen. He emphasized that it takes time to build confidence, but losing it is fleeting. For him, soccer is a game and he likes to improvise and play on his instincts.
Finally, when asked who he would choose to take a penalty if he had a chance in the final, De Bruyne humorously replied, "Maybe I would choose Yaya Toure."
This city derby is of great significance to both Manchester City and Manchester United, and I believe that both sides will give their best to provide a wonderful match for the fans.
