Manchester City manager, Pep Guardiola has reportedly admitted that Kevin De Bruyne’s injury is worse than first feared following further assessment on the player.
Since being hooked off at halftime during the Champions League match with Inter Milan in mid-September, De Bruyne has not featured for City.
Following hamstring surgery, the 33-year-old also missed four months of the previous campaign.
“I would like to tell you (when he can return), I especially would like to know, but I don’t know,” Guardiola said as echoed by talkSPORT.
“He feels better to train but to go to the level we need for competition he still has pain. Kevin has to feel good to express the huge talent that he has.”
Asked if the injury was more complicated than it initially appeared, Guardiola added: “Yeah, that’s why I’m not a doctor. He’s feeling better but not the best.
“If he doesn’t come back as quick as possible we will struggle because we cannot sustain it with 14 or 15 players but it is what it is.
“We need players to come back but it is what it is. Hopefully that can happen after the international break.”
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No player has made more passes into the penalty area [33] than De Bruyne, thus City will really miss him.
This is even more surprising given that the playmaker has missed eight games for the team this season, which they have won six and drawn two.
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