Pep Guardiola refuses to make final Kevin De Bruyne promise ahead of Man City exit

Pep Guardiola has refused to guarantee that Kevin De Bruyne will start his final home game for . De Bruyne this summer.

The Belgian star is set to play at the Etihad in a City shirt for the final time against on Tuesday night. But with City still to secure qualification, Guardiola insists he will not be guided by sentiment in his selection.

The City boss said: “What Kevin wants is that we win the game to qualify for the Champions League next season. That is what Kevin wants. It cannot be otherwise.

“I’m going to decide the best so that we can have the best chance to win the game against Bournemouth.”

Whatever De Bruyne's role on Tuesday, City are planning to pay tribute after the game to one of the players. De Bruyne, winner of six league titles and the Champions League plus a host of other honours during a glorious decade in Manchester, will receive a guard of honour from team-mates and backroom staff before a light show with pyrotechnics.

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Marie and Jon Bell, wife and son respectively of former City player Colin Bell, will also be in attendance for a presentation to the 33-year-old. Next Sunday’s game at looks increasingly likely to be his last for the club, with

City have been linked with Bayer Leverkusen playmaker Florian Wirtz as a potential replacement, but , who they believe wants to stay in Germany with .

Victory over Bournemouth, in what is a game in hand, would lift City into third in the table heading into their final fixture at Craven Cottage. Defeat would leave them sixth and with just one point separating the teams from third to seventh in a tight battle for top-five places. City have qualified for the Champions League every season since the 2011-12 campaign.

“Of course it’s important,” Guardiola said. “We have been in for the last 14 or 15 years and it is where we want to be – but if we are not there it is because we don’t deserve it, and we will play the .

“But I’m thinking we’re going to qualify. I control my mind and I think that. The first step is to finish in third position in the and that is the main target.”

Guardiola needs to lift his side from the disappointment of their defeat by in the final on Saturday. He said: “We played a really good final but not enough to win it and now we have the last two games. We need four points to be in the Champions League next year and this is enough. Everyone has to be aware of that.”

Guardiola insists he has not designated a penalty-taker for the clash with Andoni Iraola's men after Omar Marmoush missed from the spot at Wembley, as top-scorer surprisingly passed up the opportunity to take the spot-kick with the side trailing.

Guardiola, who insisted that they made that decision on the field, said: “I didn’t talk with them. We train this afternoon. It’s so clear – the taker has to score a goal.”

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