Kevin De Bruyne: Manchester City Quadruple Is 'Nearly Impossible'

Kevin De Bruyne has dismissed Manchester City's chances of completing an unprecedented quadruple this season and called the achievement "nearly impossible" as they approach a critical fixture run-in.

Manager Pep Guardiola has already talked down City's odds of winning four trophies in the same season, and midfielder De Bruyne said their tightly packed schedule makes a quad all but out of reach, per Sky Sports:

"It is nearly impossible. I don't think it is impossible to win every game, (looking) game by game. If you see the fixtures coming up - I think every game we play now we are going to be at a disadvantage physically and mentally because we will have a game before the other teams, the other teams will have a rest.

"The Champions League is the same. So, it is difficult."

City defeated Brighton & Hove Albion 1-0 on Saturday to book their place in the FA Cup final where they'll face Watford. They beat Chelsea on penalties to retain the Carabao Cup in February and are second in the Premier League, two points behind leaders Liverpool with one game in hand.

The Citizens are hoping to make it into the Champions League semi-finals for the second time in four seasons and face English rivals Tottenham Hotspur in the last eight.

Manager and player appear to be taking queues from one another, as Guardiola earlier emphasised that it's at this stage of the season campaigns tend to come apart, via Goal:

City have spent close to £500 million in two-and-a-half seasons since the Spaniard was appointed at the Etihad Stadium, and their squad depth has allowed them to withstand absences such as De Bruyne's this term.

The Belgian playmaker has started only nine Premier League games and made 25 appearances in all competitions, though his boss will at least be pleased to have him back at the business end of their year.

The Sunday Supplement panel recently looked at whether it was possible City could become the first team to complete the quadruple:

Celtic are the club with perhaps the closest claim to a legitimate quadruple after they won the European Cup, Scottish First Division, Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup under Jock Stein in 1967.

Guardiola and City were rampant en route to last season's Premier League crown but have received a greater challenge this time around, and he has kept the faith since his men fell behind in the race, via Omnisport:

This City team has made a habit of breaking new ground under Guardiola's reign, but De Bruyne & Co. are staying grounded as they stand on the brink of etching their name in European history.