For Belgian international De Bruyne it will be a special match as he returns to play in his home nation for the first time as a City player.
After a period that saw him affected by a facial injury sustained in last season’s Champions League final and then an ankle ligament injury sustained at EURO 2020, the midfielder is showing signs of getting back to his commanding best.
He has scored in City’s last two Premier League games and says he is getting stronger all the time.
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“I feel much better,” De Bruyne revealed at Monday’s pre-match press conference.
“There’s still a bit that can go up but after the three months with my ankle, I’d say in the last six months it’s been up and down so to come back I was in quite some pain.
“It was good we took the time off after the Spurs game.
“I feel much better and myself getting stronger. I know the coaches are saying the same, it’s going well now.”
Brugge currently head Group A along with Paris Saint-Germain on four points with City a point behind after the first two games.
And De Bruyne – the talisman of the talented Belgian national side – said he was hugely excited by the prospect and was prepared for a tough assignment.
“I’m excited to go back home, it’s the first time except for the national team since I left,” De Bruyne added.
“Brugge will be strong as a team. I know some of them play for the national team.
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“Club Brugge is a strong team, they play well and have a lot of talent.
“In the last couple of years they’ve shown they can be champions more than once, they know exactly what they need to do to win.
“We are used to it now with Manchester City - in the Champions League, there will always be quality. You don’t end up here by pure luck, they definitely have the talent there.
“We won’t take them lightly.”
Looking to the Champions League as whole, De Bruyne said it was a tournament that fired the professional desire of everyone in the squad.
City reached the final for the first time in our history last term and the 30-yaer-old said he was proud of the Club’s record in the Champions League
“I think people will always set the standard higher and higher,” De Bruyne added.
“Because of what we’ve done in England over the last five years, people expect us to win the Champions League and that’s what we want to do.
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“In the last six years we’ve been in the last 16 once and quarter-finals or better. We’re always competing and we’re trying.
“That’s all we can do, and hopefully we’ll get one, but it doesn’t define our legacy.
“For people outside maybe yes but I‘m very happy with what we’ve done as a club over the last six years.”
