Manchester Metropolis misplaced the talismanic determine of Kevin De Bruyne to damage within the first half of the Champions League ultimate in opposition to Inter on Saturday night.
De Bruyne slumped to his haunches half an hour into the competition. After a brief bout of medical remedy, the Belgian tried to hold on however was shortly introduced with a free ball which he fired past an offside Jack Grealish.
Metropolis’s main help supplier – with an unrivalled 28 throughout all competitions – had created the perfect opening of a caging contest whereas he was on the pitch. Because the stitching in Inter’s compact rearguard crept marginally aside, De Bruyne threaded a cross for Erling Haaland who had a fierce low effort rebuffed by Andre Onana.
Pep Guardiola was clearly reluctant to take away his star playmaker however finally needed to flip to Phil Foden as his substitute within the thirty sixth minute.
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Extra #UCLfinal heartbreak for Kevin De Bruyne as an damage sees him changed by Phil Foden!
The identical occurred to him two years in the past in opposition to Chelsea… 😬 pic.twitter.com/8qk7cNXaeA
— Soccer on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) June 10, 2023
Two years in the past, De Bruyne captained Metropolis within the Champions League ultimate in opposition to Chelsea however could not see out the total 90 minutes in that showpiece both. The Belgian lasted an hour in entrance of a restricted crowd on the Estadio do Dragao earlier than a conflict with Antonio Rudiger left De Bruyne with a damaged nostril and fractured orbital bone.
The reason for De Bruyne’s elimination in Istanbul was much less apparent.
When the 31-year-old reluctantly known as for help from Metropolis’s physios, he was noticed stretching out his proper leg. He tried to hold on however his endeavours have been short-lived.
As soon as he was compelled off for good in Saturday’s ultimate, De Bruyne obtained a double high-five from Guardiola however no additional medical remedy, becoming a member of Metropolis’s substitutes on the bench slightly heading to the altering room.
With the Premier League title already wrapped up, De Bruyne was overlooked of the squad for Metropolis’s ultimate top-flight match of the season. Nevertheless, that seemed to be an act of rotation as De Bruyne began the FA Cup ultimate in opposition to Manchester United final Saturday, teeing up each of Ilkay Gundogan’s volleys.
De Bruyne has solely been forcibly sidelined for 3 matches throughout all competitions this season, lacking the primary leg of the Champions League final 16 in opposition to RB Leipzig by means of sickness in February earlier than a minor foot damage stored him on the bench as April bled into Might.
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