Past their prime? Certainly. But over the hill? Hardly. Modric, at 40 years old, had started Milan's first four league games, taking more touches (329) and creating more shooting opportunities (19, per fbref.com) than any teammate. De Bruyne, at 34, was the only Napoli player with more than one goal so far this season, having struck in wins over Sassuolo and Fiorentina.
Pep Guardiola said of drawing Napoli and having Kevin De Bruyne return: It was always going to happen, right? But he might have spoken of his No 9's ruthlessness, as Erling Haaland broke this game open with Champions League goal No 50 in a record 49 matches, a feat that handsomely beats Ruud van Nistelrooy's previous 62-appearance mark. Manchester City 2-0 Napoli: Champions League live Thursday night's strike was a seventh in five for Manchester City form as ominous as the Norwegian's in the immortal 2022-3 treble season.