Højlund grateful to De Bruyne: Brace with assists in the Champions League

Rasmus Højlund expressed his gratitude for playing alongside Kevin De Bruyne, following Napoli’s 2-1 victory over Sporting CP in the Champions League. The Danish striker highlighted the quality of the Belgian midfielder, who provided the assists for Højlund’s two goals.

The De Bruyne-Højlund Connection

De Bruyne, with precise passes, facilitated Højlund’s first goal in the match. Then, he also assisted in the header that sealed Napoli’s advantage in the second half. Kevin is a legend in the sport. For me, it’s just about finding space whenever he has the ball. I am very grateful to play with a player like this. The second Napoli goal reminded of the dynamic between De Bruyne and Erling Haaland during their time at Manchester City. De Bruyne commented on the similarities between Haaland and Højlund, highlighting the ability of both to attack spaces, although he noted that Haaland could be a bit more direct. Højlund, for his part, sometimes seeks to connect with the ball.

Højlund, who struggled to score in his two seasons at Manchester United, now has three goals in five appearances since his loan to Napoli. In addition, he continues his impressive performance in the Champions League, accumulating seven goals in eight matches. De Bruyne, for his part, has accumulated 27 assists in the Champions League, surpassing legends like Zinedine Zidane and Andrés Iniesta. The Belgian has been directly involved in five goals in seven matches since his arrival at Napoli in June. Wednesday’s performance served as a response to the controversy generated by his reaction to a substitution in the match against AC Milan. However, both De Bruyne and coach Antonio Conte clarified the situation.

There was never any problem. I am a winner. I want to play football. I want to make a difference. Everything is said. No problem.

Kevin De Bruyne

Two minutes after Napoli’s second goal, De Bruyne was substituted by Billy Gilmour, receiving an ovation in his first European match at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.