Kevin De Bruyne shines in central role in Man City's Champions League win over Barcelona

Kevin De Bruyne scored a second-half free-kick to put Man City ahead

How Pep Guardiola's tactical switch mid-game put Kevin De Bruyne centre stage in Manchester City's win over Barcelona...

Pep Guardiola had described Manchester City's Champions League group stage game with Barcelona as "like a final" ahead of kick-off, such was the importance for his side to produce a result. Kevin De Bruyne stepped up to the occasion.
The Belgian has already produced moments of brilliance this season - his opportunist goal in the Manchester derby, his cunning free-kick against Bournemouth - and there were stunning stand out moments in City's 3-1 win over Barcelona.
His free-kick to put City 2-1 up was a combination of improvisation and technique; De Bruyne spotted Marc-Andre ter Stegen creeping to his right and capitalised by executing a swerving shot to the 'keeper's left.

Then De Bruyne came up with a perfectly-weighted slide-rule through ball into the right channel for substitute Jesus Navas to cross to Sergio Aguero. The ball deflected off the striker for Ilkay Gundogan to tuck in his second and seal the win.

But while those two instances directly led to goals, it was De Bruyne's all-round play which helped City produce the "unbelievable game" described by Gundogan, which they needed to beat Luis Enrique's side.
De Bruyne misplaced just two of his 26 passes all night. A remarkable display of accuracy and precision, given that the majority of those passes were played high up the field, under pressure from Barcelona's press, in an attempt to create openings.
Going the other way, no City player made more than his four tackles.

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