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ESPN News Services
May 20, 2025, 06:22 PM ET
Manchester City gave Kevin De Bruyne a triumph successful his last quality astatine Etihad Stadium, arsenic Omar Marmoush scored a stunner successful a 3-1 Premier League triumph implicit Bournemouth connected Tuesday that saw them ascent to 3rd successful the table.
The decorated nine skipper called his last crippled astatine City's location crushed "weird" aft helium helped the squad to 16 trophies since joining successful 2015 -- a haul that includes six Premier League titles and the Champions League successful 2023.
"[It feels] a spot weird. It's been an unbelievable ride," De Bruyne said aft the match. "I privation to bring joyousness to people, play violative football, creative, that is what I americium connected the transportation and I privation to person fun. It was a joyousness moving truly hard and creating thing for this club. I'm ace proud."
The lone happening missing was a extremity for the Belgian, who had a ridiculous first-half miss, hammering Omar Marmoush's transverse disconnected the underside of the crossbar from adjacent scope and past holding his caput successful disbelief.
"It's terrible," De Bruyne said of the miss. "There's nary excuses. My lad is going to beryllium precise pugnacious connected maine today."
De Bruyne hugged his teammates erstwhile helium was subbed disconnected to a lasting ovation successful the 69th minute. Accompanied by his family, helium was feted with a post-game defender of honour from the City players and unit arsenic the fans chanted "Oh Kevin De Bruyne!"
"To person astir a afloat stadium supporting my household and maine says everything," De Bruyne said. "Who tin person 50,000 radical waiting for you to accidental goodbye? It's indescribable."
The nine announced they volition erect a statue of him extracurricular the stadium.
"It means I volition ever beryllium portion of this club," De Bruyne added.
Regarded arsenic 1 of the league's top ever midfielders, the Belgian was cardinal to City's occurrence but has struggled with injuries successful caller seasons. Still, the 33-year-old admitted to a "little spot [of shock]" that helium was not offered a caller declaration by City, and has said helium believes helium tin inactive play successful the Premier League.
City fans showed their appreciation by unfurling a gigantic "King Kev" banner. Countless No. 17 shirts dotted the assemblage and immoderate fans had their faces painted with "KDB."
A post-game video tribute featured erstwhile City teammates including Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez, Fernandinho, Vincent Kompany, Joe Hart and Leroy Sane.
"Congratulations for your career, it was an honour to play with you, I privation you each the champion my friend, of people you are a fable astatine Manchester City. And maine too. See you bro," Aguero said.
"Everyone was there, it was so, truthful nice," manager Pep Guardiola said. "Ten years is simply a batch of games, a batch of titles, a batch of moments. Today summarised a small spot however overmuch emotion was there.
"It's a bittersweet day. He volition beryllium missed. On the different side, I deliberation it was a beauteous time for him to marque again a publication to execute that triumph that is of monolithic importance."
It was a large effect for City connected the tract arsenic it enactment them connected 68 points with 1 crippled remaining, 2 points supra Newcastle United, Chelsea and Aston Villa successful the nervy pursuit for a top-five decorativeness and Champions League qualification.
Both sides finished the crippled with 10 men aft City's Mateo Kovacic was shown a reddish paper successful the 67th infinitesimal for pulling backmost Evanilson erstwhile helium was done connected goal, followed by Lewis Cook for the visitors successful the 73rd for his reckless situation connected Nico Gonzalez.
City were connected the beforehand ft from the archetypal whistle and Marmoush scored successful the 14th infinitesimal erstwhile helium drifted guardant earlier unleashing a scorcher from 30 yards retired that dipped conscionable wrong the top-left corner.
Bernardo Silva doubled their pb successful the 38th erstwhile Ilkay Gündogan chopped the shot backmost for the Portuguese who slotted it successful astatine the adjacent station and Nico Gonzalez struck successful the 89th with a tally from heavy earlier whipping the shot past goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Daniel Jebbison pulled 1 backmost for Bournemouth seconds earlier the last whistle erstwhile helium pounced connected a careless walk to Rúben Dias earlier slotting the shot done goalkeeper Éderson's legs.
The visitors had squandered a terrific accidental to equalise connected the interruption successful the archetypal half, but a stretching Evanilson deed Marcus Tavernier's transverse disconnected the upright.
"The opening of the game, you could spot consecutive distant they started with a batch of intensity," Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola said. "They scored astir apt 1 of their champion goals of the play and it outgo us."
City midfielder Rodri saw his archetypal enactment successful 8 months arsenic a precocious substitute, entering the crippled to a lasting ovation. The 2024 Ballon D'Or victor had not played since tearing his anterior cruciate ligament successful September.
Information from Reuters was utilized successful this story.
