Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne expected to miss four months with major hamstring injury

Kevin De Bruyne could be out of action for up to four months after suffering a hamstring injury in the opening Premier League game of the season, manager Pep Guardiola said on the eve of their UEFA Super Cup clash against Sevilla.

The Belgium international left the field in the 36th minute of City's 3-0 win at Burnley on Friday.

Pep Guardiola: “Kevin de Bruyne’s injury is serious one. He will be out for a few months”. #MCFC

“We have to decide in the next days on surgery but for sure we lose Kevin for some time”. pic.twitter.com/F2sAcD5ERz

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 15, 2023

De Bruyne, who was left out of City's squad for their Super Cup game, also limped off during the Champions League final in June and Guardiola confirmed the midfielder had suffered a recurrence of the same injury.

️ June 2023: Ends the season by going off injured in the Champions League final

️ August 2023: Starts the season by going off injured in the opening Premier League game

Kevin De Bruyne’s bad injury luck continues ❌ pic.twitter.com/O960PSpWzG

— SPORTbible (@sportbible) August 15, 2023

"It's serious. We have to decide surgery or no surgery but he will be out for a few months," Guardiola told reporters on Tuesday.

"(A decision on surgery will be taken) in the next few days. It will be three or four months."

Asked if De Bruyne's injury occurred because he was rushed back into action before he was ready, Guardiola said: "We could say 'don't play' but this injury could happen later.

"Before I took the decision I spoke to the doctor, the physio and him. He said he felt good.

"We will see (about signing a replacement for De Bruyne). After what happened we will see the possibilities."

(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru, editing by Ed Osmond and Pritha Sarkar)