Author: Barkha Roy
Manchester City’s campaign has suffered a significant blow as manager Pep Guardiola confirmed that star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne will face a prolonged spell on the sidelines due to a hamstring injury sustained during the 3-0 win over Burnley.
3-0 win over Burnley
. De Bruyne was forced to leave the pitch after just 24 minutes at Turf Moor, and this recurrence of the same injury that led to him being substituted in the Champions League final against Inter Milan in June has raised concerns at the club.
Guardiola expressed his disappointment, saying: “Unfortunately, he got injured again… It’s a shame, because he had recovered well, but now we’ve lost him for a while, so we have to think about it, talk to the doctors and see what happened.” The coach also acknowledged the possibility of De Bruyne starting, but stressed that injuries can occur at any time during a match due to muscle fatigue.
De Bruyne’s absence is a blow to City’s ambitions, as he played a key role in the team’s triumphant campaign last season, contributing 10 goals and 31 assists in various competitions. The Belgian recently revealed that he was playing in pain due to a hamstring injury during the latter stages of the previous campaign.
Meanwhile, former City captain Vincent Kompany, who now manages Burnley, found positives despite the defeat. He assured the fans that this was the team’s lowest point of the season and that they will only get stronger from now on.
Unfortunately, the match also witnessed cases of fan misconduct, with an object thrown from the stands hitting City teenager Rico Lewis. Another spectator tried to breach security and enter the pitch during the second half. In response, Burnley issued a statement condemning the behavior and promising to take action against those responsible.