Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has urged his team-mates to quickly regain their focus for Saturday’s Premier League fixture with Middlesbrough after the euphoria of their victory over Barcelona.
City beat Barcelona 3-1 in the Champions League on Tuesday in what was their first win over the Spanish side in six attempts.
The victory was lauded as a landmark result by City manager Pep Guardiola, the former Barcelona boss, following his pre-season arrival at the Etihad Stadium.
However, Belgium international De Bruyne, who scored from a free-kick against Barca, is wary of complacency creeping in ahead of the Premier League leaders’ match at home to Boro.
“The game against Middlesbrough is going to be another tough test,” De Bruyne said.
“Obviously everyone will talk about Tuesday because it was Barcelona, but if you lose at the weekend it doesn’t matter what happened in the Champions League.
“We have to do the same as we did in these two games and try to win against Middlesbrough to go into the international break with a good series and try to maintain top spot in the league.
“It is very difficult. Everybody will give everything they have got against us. We have to do what we know how to do.”
City are quickly adapting to the methods introduced by Guardiola and look a more formidable side than under his predecessor Manuel Pellegrini.
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