Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne claims it will be "almost impossible" for his side to win the quadruple this season.
The 27-year-old has recently returned to action after a spate of injury problems, but his side remain in all four competitions they have entered this season - with City riding high in the Premier League once more, as well as reaching the last 16 of the Champions League and getting themselves into the Carabao Cup final for the second year in a row.
De Bruyne insists that City focus on winning on every game, rather than winning each individual trophy - with that mind set allowing them to set realistic goals, rather than achieve something that is close to impossible.
"The goal is not to win the four trophies -- the goal is to win every game. Then we progress," De Bruyne told a news conference, as quoted by ESPN.
"We are very happy, but to set standards to win all four -- that is almost impossible."
City have never won the Champions League, but did reach the semi-finals in 2016 - a run which De Bruyne was apart of. The Belgian continued by stating that standards have not dropped from last season, but did admit that Champions League glory is the gold standard.
Kevin De Bruyne: 'Goal is not to win every competition, it's to win every game."
— jamie jackson (@JamieJackson___) February 19, 2019
"The level of the Champions League is higher than the Premier League," he added. "The record we have until now -- hopefully we can make it better.
"We are going well. In the league we have lost a few more games, but we are still fighting in all four competitions. I don't think there's a lot of difference between how we did last season and this -- the standard we are setting is still very high, but in the end it's all in the titles.
"I think the team wants to win as many titles as possible. I think the team standards are the most important, and anything personal is a bonus."
De Bruyne was speaking ahead of City's Champions League clash with Schalke, where they will contest the first of a two legged tie before preparing to face Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on Sunday.
Source: 90min
