I feel lucky to play alongside De Bruyne – Hojlund

By Emmanuel Okogba

Napoli striker Rasmus Hojlund has hailed teammate Kevin De Bruyne arsenic a “special talent” aft the Belgian midfielder provided some assists successful the Italian side’s 2-1 Champions League triumph implicit Sporting CP.

Højlund, who scored a brace to unafraid the win, credited De Bruyne’s imaginativeness and passing quality for making his occupation successful beforehand of extremity easier.

“Playing with a endowment similar De Bruyne is special,” the Danish guardant said. “Anytime helium has the ball, each I person to bash is onslaught the abstraction and I cognize he’s going to get maine the ball. I consciousness fortunate to play alongside idiosyncratic with his quality.”

De Bruyne’s trademark precision was connected afloat show successful Lisbon, threading a perfectly timed done shot for Hojlund’s opener earlier delivering a pinpoint transverse that the striker headed location to reconstruct Napoli’s pb successful the 2nd half. The operation evoked memories of De Bruyne’s fruitful concern with Erling Haaland during his clip astatine Manchester City.

“They’re rather similar,” De Bruyne said erstwhile asked to comparison Haaland and Hojlund. “Erling is Erling, and what he’s done successful his vocation is unbelievable. They some similar to onslaught the space. Erling astir apt a small spot more, portion Rasmus likes to travel conscionable the shot sometimes.”

For Hojlund, the show marked a invited turnaround aft a challenging spell astatine Manchester United, wherever helium struggled to find consistency pursuing a high-profile determination from Atalanta. Since joining Napoli connected loan, the 21-year-old has recovered form, netting 3 goals successful 5 appearances crossed each competitions.

The station I consciousness fortunate to play alongside De Bruyne – Hojlund appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.