‘Man City emergency’ De Bruyne suffers hamstring injury, out until 2023…back-to-back trips will be difficult

Kevin De Bruyne’s injury is serious. For Manchester City, it’s devastating.

Ahead of City’s UEFA Super Cup match against Sevilla (Spain) in Piraeus, Greece, Pep Guardiola said on Saturday (Aug. 16), “Der Bruyne’s injury is serious. He could be out for three to four months if surgery is decided.”

City defeated Burnley 3-0 in the first round of the 2023-24 English Premier League (EPL) at Turf Moor in Lancashire, England, at 4 a.m. ET on Wednesday. City started the game on a high note with a convincing win on the opening day, but the injury to Der Bruyne was a blow. Der Bruyne left the field with an injury in the 23rd minute of the first half.

The location of the injury was the same as the one he suffered in last season’s UEFA Champions League (UCL). Der Bruyne was replaced by Phil Foden in last season’s UCL final against Inter Milan after 35 minutes with a hamstring tear. He missed the 2020-21 UCL final with another injury.

Der Bruyne was a big part of City’s EPL dominance. Under Guardiola, Der Bruyne has become one of the best midfielders in the game. He creates chances with his excellent movement and crisp passing, and occasionally scores himself with a mid-range shot. In 2016-17, his first season under Guardiola, The Bruin led the EPL in assists with a whopping 18 in the league.

As the seasons went on, he got better and better. The best season of his career came in 2019-20. Der Bruyne was once again the centerpiece of City’s offense and was unstoppable, creating chances with crisp passes from the flanks and midfield. In the league alone, Der Bruyne scored 13 goals and provided 20 assists. Unsurprisingly, he won the EPL’s assist title and tied Thierry Henry for the most assists in a single season. 먹튀검증

In 2021-22, he specialized more in goals than assists, scoring 15 league goals. Der Bruyne finished third in the 2022 Ballon d’Or. Last season was no different. Der Bruyne scored 10 goals and provided 31 assists in 49 games last season, including cup competitions.

With him at the helm, City had one of their best seasons ever. The EPL title win was dramatic. Arsenal stormed out of the gates with five straight wins. The Gunners held the league lead for 248 days over City. City was eager to capitalize. The game was split between the two teams. City stole the show and reclaimed the top spot. In the end, City was crowned the EPL champion.

City’s momentum was unstoppable. They went on to win the FA Cup, beating Manchester United 2-1. There was one last piece of the treble left. In the end, City beat Inter Milan 1-0 in the UCL final to complete the second treble in EPL history. The City dynasty was complete.

This season, City will be aiming for a second straight treble. However, a red flag went up when Der Bruyne was sidelined with an injury that will likely keep him out until 2023, depending on how well he recovers.

City’s pursuit of Josuco Gbardiol this summer failed to bolster their midfield. They lost Ilkay Gundogan, who wore the captain’s armband last season, to Barcelona. Matteo Kovacic was the only midfield addition. They also tried to sign Declan Rice, but that didn’t work out. City have a lot on their plate this season, including the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup. They’ll need to have a lot of depth to get through the season. The absence of De Bruyne deepens City’s problems.