Statue, Pep's Tears & A Missed Sitter - De Bruyne's Emotional Farewell

Kevin de Bruyne received an affectional farewell astatine Etihad Stadium for nan last clip connected Tuesday nighttime - and nan infinitesimal moreover brought head Pep Guardiola to tears, who called it a "sad day".

The 33-year-old will spell down arsenic a Manchester City fable and proclaimed he will "always beryllium here" aft nan announcement that a statue will beryllium built, external successful his honour extracurricular nan stadium.

Captain De Bruyne is group to depart this summertime and started his past location crippled successful City's 3-1 triumph complete Bournemouth, but nan Premier League awesome bowed retired successful a somewhat abject manner.

He had nan chance to spell retired successful style but missed a first-half sitter and was past sacrificed successful nan 2nd half aft Mateo Kovacic's sending disconnected - a sad ending for specified an illustrious career.

De Bruyne said successful his post-match speech: "I wanted to play pinch creativity, I wanted to play pinch passion. I wanted to bask shot and I dream everyone enjoyed it.

"Everybody has pushed maine truthful difficult wrong and extracurricular nan nine to beryllium nan champion type of myself and these guys successful beforehand of maine person made maine amended than I was before.

"It's an honour to play pinch these guys. I've made truthful galore friends for life."

The decade-long relation has produced unprecedented occurrence for City, while nan subordinate has etched himself into nan club's history books by taking location an unthinkable 16 winners' medals during that period.

Once nan full-time whistle was blown, thing was going to spoil his expansive send-off arsenic City players, unit and supporters paid tribute to their midfield maestro.

Guardiola said: "Everybody saw really overmuch nan group from Manchester City are connected pinch him and his family and really overmuch emotion [they have].

"Titles are bully and everything that he has achieved, but erstwhile you time off aft 10 years pinch this overmuch respect and gratitude, location is thing other amended than that.

"I americium portion of that, nan nine will return nan decision, but it is simply a sad time and he will beryllium missed, location is nary uncertainty astir that."

Guardiola added: "When Kevin arrived here, I americium beautiful judge he was not a Man City fan, I don't cognize who he supports, but I americium beautiful judge he is simply a instrumentality now and will beryllium forever.

"That is because of nan relationship betwixt each nan group and him."

On a nighttime erstwhile 'The Boss' rolled into town, 'The King' waved goodbye for nan last time.

De Bruyne's look was plastered everyplace you looked connected presence astatine nan stadium and though legendary US vocalist Bruce Springsteen whitethorn person been playing a fewer yards distant astatine nan Co-Op Live arena, this was nan hottest summons of nan day.

Merchandise stalls had scarves emblazoned pinch De Bruyne's name, arsenic did nan shirts of supporters, while nan matchday programme has a mock-up of nan subordinate pinch nan crown from nan Premier League trophy atop his head.

City had announced successful nan lead-up to kick-off that they had dedicated a mosaic and named a roadworthy aft De Bruyne astatine nan club's academy.

It was besides fitting that a playmaker that has created specified artistry connected nan writer canvass has had a immense mural painted of him successful Manchester's Northern Quarter.

Once chants of "ohh Kevin De Bruyne" to Seven Nations Army died down, location was a buzz of anticipation each clip he had his ft connected nan ball, consenting him to showcase a extremity aliases assistance for 1 past clip connected their turf.

The large infinitesimal could not person been planned immoderate amended - nan shot laid to him connected a plate, successful beforehand of an unfastened goal, a mates of yards out, but De Bruyne successful slow mobility scooped nan shot onto nan bar.

The 33-year-old had his caput successful his hands, truthful did nan returning Rodri connected nan chair and City fans each astir arsenic nan dream finale went awry.

"It's terrible," De Bruyne said of nan miss. "There's nary excuses. My boy is going to beryllium very reliable connected maine today."

At full-time, a montage of his champion moments complete nan past decade flashed up connected nan surface pinch messages from nan likes of Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany, Raheem Sterling and Pablo Zabaleta.

De Bruyne was fixed a defender of honour arsenic he returned to nan transportation pinch his woman and kids by his side.

Then came nan outpouring of emotion.

The erstwhile Chelsea man struggled to clasp it together during his reside successful nan mediate of nan park, arsenic did a tearful Guardiola watching connected from nan sidelines.

"We want you to stay, Kevin de Bruyne, we want you to stay," was nan chant that rung retired from supporters but location appears to beryllium nary turning back, arsenic he led his team-mates connected a thigh of appreciation earlier making an exit for 1 past time.

Former City defender Micah Richards said: "He lets his shot do nan talking. He's specified a awkward characteristic but I person been gathering him complete nan years and seeing really humble he is and really awesome a subordinate he is, it is conscionable awesome to see.

"He has deserved his send-off. Everyone who's played pinch him speaks highly of him, and to do what he's 1 successful nan Premier League is conscionable sensational."

Guardiola holds De Bruyne is specified precocious esteem that he described nan Belgian arsenic nan "second best" passer he has worked pinch - aft nan awesome Lionel Messi.

Since his debut successful September 2015, De Bruyne has played 283 top-flight games and has provided 119 assists, 2nd successful nan Premier League's all-time database down Ryan Giggs' 162, and scored 72 goals.

Those 190 extremity involvements puts him 4th connected nan Premier League database during that play down Mohamed Salah, Harry Kane and Son Heung-min.

With 843 chances created during that period, De Bruyne has been, by far, nan astir prolific imaginative subordinate successful nan division, pinch Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes lagging down successful 2nd pinch 535.

The crippled against Bournemouth was De Bruyne's 142nd and last location convention quality for City, pinch only David Silva having played much Premier League games astatine nan Etihad pinch 160.

Asked what City meant to him, De Bruyne said it was "home", "family" and that his kid "were Manc".

Former Liverpool midfielder Jamie Redknapp said connected Sky Sports: "Who is nan adjacent De Bruyne successful world football? They don't exist. He is for illustration a unicorn, truthful don't moreover fuss looking for different KDB.

"There is perfectly nary uncertainty he is simply a genius. For him it is truthful easy."

De Bruyne has made it clear he is not abdicating his throne by his ain choice, saying he was surprised not to beryllium offered a caller statement by nan club.

While his adjacent move could beryllium to Chicago Fire successful nan US, attraction will soon move to nan difficult task of uncovering a replacement.

BBC Sport understands City are withdrawing their first liking successful Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz, owing to nan soaring costs of immoderate deal, but Nottingham Forest's Morgan Gibbs-White is among nan options.

City, though, person 2 players astatine nan nine successful Phil Foden and Jack Grealish that person played a bit-part domiciled this word and could supply nan reply if they tin rediscover their form.

"He [De Bruyne] is irreplaceable," said Richards. "I person been disappointed pinch Phil Foden, but he needs to measurement up now.

"There is simply a vacancy disposable and this is Foden's time."

De Bruyne added: "To do what we've done arsenic a club, supporters, teammates we've won everything.

"We made nan city, nan nine bigger and now they're going to return over."