Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola, has revealed that Kevin De Bruyne is set to endure several months on the sidelines due to the injury he sustained on the opening day of the season.
Manchester City’s star player, Kevin De Bruyne, has been forced out of action due to a hamstring injury suffered during the reigning champions’ season opener against Burnley. This unfortunate setback is expected to keep De Bruyne sidelined for an extended period.
Kevin De Bruyne is forced off the pitch vs Burnley (Image: Getty Images)
During the first half of the match against Burnley on Saturday, the Belgian playmaker experienced a hamstring issue, leading to his substitution after just 23 minutes. Summer signing Mateo Kovacic took his place on the pitch.
Pep Guardiola refrained from divulging details about the injury immediately following his team’s 3-0 triumph over Vincent Kompany’s Burnley. However, he has now provided an update on De Bruyne’s condition, confirming that the player will need to undergo surgery. This procedure could potentially keep him out of action for the initial months of the Premier League season.
Speaking in a pre-match press conference ahead of the UEFA Super Cup clash against Spanish side Sevilla, Guardiola stated: “We are in the process of deciding whether surgery is required or not, but he will be out of action for several months. The final decision will be made in the coming days. If surgery is deemed necessary, it will result in a recovery period of three to four months.”
Guardiola further commented: “Kevin’s injury is a significant setback for us. Nevertheless, we must look ahead. Kevin’s unique abilities are hard to replace, but this presents an opportunity for other players to step up, and I’m confident they will seize it.”
This injury marks another unfortunate incident for De Bruyne, who previously faced a hamstring problem during Manchester City’s victorious Champions League final against Inter Milan. He recuperated during the summer and even made a substitute appearance in the Community Shield loss to Arsenal at Wembley.
De Bruyne, aged 32, is now expected to miss a series of Premier League fixtures and is unlikely to participate as City commences their European title defense. After facing Sevilla, City’s upcoming matches include clashes with Newcastle, Sheffield United, and Fulham before the season’s first international break.
The draw for the Champions League group stages is scheduled for August 31, with the initial group fixtures set for September 19 and 20.
Despite De Bruyne’s absence, Manchester City managed to secure a comfortable victory against Burnley. Erling Haaland opened the scoring and added another goal before halftime. Rodri contributed to the opening day triumph, while Anass Zaroury received a red card for Burnley. Guardiola may need to make adjustments to his lineup for the upcoming match against Sevilla, considering the absence of John Stones, Ruben Dias due to concussion, and Bernardo Silva’s recovery from illness.
