Kevin De Bruyne believes Manchester City will be again written off as failures if they do not win the Champions League, despite their recent trophy haul.
“Obviously it's Madrid. They have won the most Champions Leagues out of everybody," the City midfielder said. "But I think we will go there to try to play our game like we always do and try to play offensive football, try to put them under pressure, try to have a good game and, if we can, win."
The trip to the Spanish capital is followed by a third successive Carabao Cup final, but De Bruyne believes that domestic success will not change some critics' perceptions of their season.
"If we don't win it [the Champions League] everybody is going to say we are failures like the last five years!" he added. "It's something we've not won yet. We always want to win everything but sometimes another team is better or performing well – like Liverpool are doing this season.
"It's just that way and you just have to admit it. But we will just go there to win that game. You can't look too much forwards and see what's going to happen."
Meanwhile, De Bruyne says he is ready to take over penalty duty if required, although Sergio Aguero is set to carry on with the responsibility despite his miss against Leicester on Saturday.
City have missed their last four spot-kicks, and asked if it was a worry, De Bruyne admitted: "If you win the games 'no' but if you lose points 'yes'.
"It's maybe a rough patch for the moment but I think there have been periods where we scored a lot of penalties. It happens. We want to put them in, but it's a period where we're missing a few.
"It can happen to everybody, so it's stupid to blame them. Obviously if you miss you feel a little bad."
De Bruyne has taken only one penalty for City back in 2016, which was saved by Everton's Maarten Stekelenburg, but he would not shirk the opportunity again if he was asked.
"Yeah, why not? I don't really care," he added. "For me I think it's important for strikers to have them because it helps their goals tally.
"It doesn't affect me that much but if they want me to step up, I will. That's obviously something for the technical staff to decide."
BarayanDiyusep
451
I think this is their best chance to try and win the ucl because if the ban stands, I don't know if everyone will stay so after 2 yrs they're gonna rebuild again. Of course I would like my Bayern to win but I don't mind really if City wins because I feel for these players. As a football fan, sometimes we have to see the picture as a whole and not only to our respective club.
12UnitedGuyReborn
430
You are never failures no matter what, even if you win the UCL 10 times in a row there are people who will still call you failures and say stupid stuff, just don't listen to them, it's about you and not them, just make sure to give your all and the true ones will see it sometimes it's not just the result that matters the intent and will does too and I have no doubt of your will to be great
DieHardRed
322
You’ve literally won the domestic double and treble and have made it to the quarter finals of UCL twice in a row. You’d won the league 3 times in the last 5 years getting a milestone of 98 and 100 points. You guys are no where near failures!
DarkKing2010
274
Yes, you will be Failures because with all these Tough, expensive and Overrated players (except for Kevin and Aguero and Ederson) and you still lost, how is this?! Liverpool with their team which is Cheaper and weaker than you, they won UCL and they defeated Barcelona with 4 - 0. And you with all these players, why can't you win it?!
maxm70
258
Well you guys are already failures KDB cuz Real Madrid is gonna knock you guys out. 😁😁. I think KDB Should join a club in La Liga or Serie A this summer.
AC9999
155
i think city players and fans only focus on negative comments every single pundit and manager has praised this team for what they have achieved and everyone counts them among the best teams in the world