De Bruyne quickly back to magical best

MANUEL Pellegrini has insisted fit–again Kevin de Bruyne is not an automatic selection for Manchester City’s Champions League quarter–final first leg at Paris St Germain.

Belgium forward De Bruyne transformed City’s attacking threat in spearheading Saturday’s 4–0 thumping of Bournemouth, in his first game since late January after ligament trouble.

The 24 year old spent much of the Vitality Stadium encounter operating almost as a false number nine, creating acres of space for City’s roaming striker and playmaker David Silva.

Pellegrini remains adamant De Bruyne must be reassessed before being cleared to face PSG, but there can be little doubt the former Chelsea man will feature in Paris on Wednesday.

“We are going to see, because now we can start preparing for that game,” said Pellegrini, when asked if De Bruyne will be ready. “There wouldn’t be any risk to play him again so soon, because it was not a muscle injury.

“But we’ve seen the way he played at Bournemouth and now we have to see how he recovers. We’ll assess that and then decide.”

De Bruyne scored City’s second goal with the move of the match, sweeping home a side–footed volley after Silva had laid off Aguero’s lofted pass.

Fernando and Aguero struck for City either side of De Bruyne’s gem, to leave City 3–0 up inside 20 minutes and coasting to a crucial victory. Aleksandar Kolarov rifled a fourth with the last meaningful action of the match to cap a damp squib of a second–half, such was City’s dominance.

But City’s challenge rises markedly in Paris, and De Bruyne’s immediate return to sparkling form certainly bolsters the visitors’ firepower.