Manchester City midfielder, Kevin De Bruyne believes that his team has “enough energy” to achieve the treble.
Having began the season with defeat to Liverpool in the FA Community Shield, City enter their second Champions League Final having played 60 matches in all competitions – despite a six-week mid-season break due to 2022 FIFA World Cup.
In recent weeks, City have clinched Premier League and FA Cup titles and head into the final in Istanbul, Turkey on the cusp of a historic treble which would mark the first time that an English club have achieved that feat since City’s local rivals, Manchester United in 1999.
De Bruyne however is confident that he and his teammates will have “enough energy” to complete the treble, as he iterated: “From a physical standpoint, if you are fit you can play the whole year long.”
The Belgian however has admitted that the mental fitness could be City’s trickiest obstacle as he added: “Mentally is more difficult to physically. If you are in good shape you can play every three or four days.”
De Bruyne went on to state his belief that the occasion of a Champions League Final means that “the motivation and energy will be there for both sides.”
City finished their league campaign two weeks ago unlike their final opponents – Inter Milan who concluded their Serie A season last weekend, but Pep Guardiola’s Cityzens were also in action as they beat Man Utd 2-1 in the FA Cup Final courtesy of Ilkday Gundogan’s brace.
“I don’t feel a lot of difference. Maybe the difference now is we had to play the FA Cup final last week,” said De Bruyne on the prospect of any fitness disadvantage in playing Cup Finals on consecutive weekends.
De Bruyne proceeded to acknowledge their two-week break between conclusion of the league campaign and Champions League Final in 2021-22 season, which they went on to lose to Chelsea despite having entered that Final as title favourites.
The 31 year-old midfielder consequently admitted that the FA Cup Final could prove useful, as he continued: “It could be good to have played that game versus United, but the way I prepare for a game I don’t want to do too much different.
“It’s a hectic week but I try to make it as normal as possible.”
City face Inter Milan at Ataturk Olympic Stadium tonight (10 June) with kick-off at 8pm UK Time.
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