Kevin de Bruyne urges Man City to stay calm ahead of Real Madrid showdown

City will host the reigning champions at the Etihad on Tuesday, just days after edging out Leyton Orient to secure a spot in the FA Cup fifth round.

While De Bruyne remains confident, he acknowledged that City's mistakes in the group stage have made their European journey more difficult.

"I've faced Madrid in almost every round, from the second stage to the semi-finals, over the last decade. We know why we're in this position—we didn't perform well enough earlier. That's the reality. At this level, it's always about small margins," he said.

"We're aware it's a huge match, and both teams have quality. Since it's a two-legged tie, there's no need to get overly frantic."

He continued, "Yes, but I've been here for 10 years, so I've probably played longer than many others! Like with Leyton Orient, I always respect the opponent and focus on doing my job. It doesn't matter who we play; we simply need to approach the game with integrity."

De Bruyne, whose contract is set to expire at the end of the season, revealed that there has been no progress on a new deal yet at the Etihad.

"We're in a similar situation because we're probably around the same age, all three of us—though Trent is maybe a bit different—and we play for top teams. You wait for these moments, and we try to control what we can. But right now, there's not much happening."