Kevin De Bruyne: No shame if I don’t win Champions League with Manchester City

Kevin De Bruyne insists there will be no “shame” or regret if he doesn’t win the Champions League with Manchester City.

Despite winning the English Premier League four times in the past five seasons, Europe’s biggest prize has so far eluded the Abu Dhabi-owned club.

There has been only frustration and disappointment as City have come so near, yet so far in fulfilling their dream of becoming European champions for the first time.

“Obviously you want to win it,” midfielder De Bruyne, 31, told Arab News in an exclusive interview.

“If I never win it, it’s not a shame, because we have been consistently fighting for it. I don’t see anything as a regret when I have given it my best shot.

“I cannot complain with how my career went, or the trophies that I have won at many teams.”

City visit Sevilla on Tuesday for their Group G opener as again one of the favorites to take the title.

De Bruyne, who has won 10 major trophies since joining the club in 2015, suffered a fractured nose and eye socket when City lost the final to Chelsea a year ago.

He was then substituted in May’s 3-1 semifinal second-leg loss to Real Madrid, where the eventual winners launched a dramatic comeback from two goals down on aggregate with a last-minute double from Brazilian Rodrygo.

“At the moment it hurts what happened last season, and before,” said the Belgium international.

“I think afterwards when you reflect on situations, sometimes you lose and in that moment it can be painful, but after you have to take it as it is.

“It’s not that we gave it away. We lost against good teams and certain situations were not in our favor and that happens and you have to accept it.

“I think the team has been ready for years to win it. But look at the Real