Kevin De Bruyne stretches lead over Lionel Messi

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Star midfielder plays for Manchester City

De Bruyne (L) is considered one of the best players in the world — AFP

Star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne has assisted 23 goals in all competitions this season, which is his most in a single campaign for Manchester City.

De Bruyne has five more than any player for clubs in Europe's big-five leagues in 2022-23 with PSG star Lionel Messi in second place with 18.

It must be noted that City became only the third English team to qualify for the UEFA Champions League semi-finals in three consecutive seasons after their win over Bayern Munich over two legs in the quarter-finals.

The other two English teams in the list are Chelsea and Manchester United, who both achieved the feat between 2006-07 to 2008-09.

City will face Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals for the second straight season after Erling Haaland scored in a 1-1 draw which secured a 4-1 aggregate last-eight win over Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

The Norwegian missed a first-half penalty but muscled his way upfield midway through the second half, lashing past Bayern goalkeeper Yann Sommer for his 48th goal in 41 appearances this season.

Bayern scored a late penalty through Joshua Kimmich but were again haunted by their inability to make possession and chances count.

City will face a rematch with manager Pep Guardiola´s old foe Real Madrid, who scored two late goals to spectacularly turn the tie their way on the way to eventually winning the title last season.

"The semi-final again... the experience that we have in the competition, the players feel it a lot, they want to do really well," Guardiola told BT Sport.

Bayern sacked previous coach Julian Nagelsmann in favour of Thomas Tuchel earlier this month despite a perfect record in the Champions League this season but have since been eliminated from Europe and the German Cup.

"If we can´t take positives from this match, we would have a problem," Tuchel, whose side are only two points clear of Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga title race, told DAZN.

"At the moment, City are in the best shape, with the best players in the best league in the world."

Guardiola, so often criticised in the Champions League for tinkering with his side, named the same XI that won the first leg 3-0 in Manchester.

Tuchel made two changes, opting for the creativity of City loanee Joao Cancelo at full-back and bringing back Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, the only recognised striker in the squad.

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