“Feels really good” – Pep Guardiola issues exciting update on Manchester City star’s recovery

Kevin De Bruyne “feels really good” but is not running yet, with Manchester City not wanting to rush his recovery, confirms Pep Guardiola.

The Belgium international sustained a setback to his Manchester City season in the very first game of the ongoing Premier League campaign, having been forced into an early withdrawal from the opening contest against Burnley in August.

Given that the injury was a recurrence of the issue that kept him out of the UEFA Champions League final in Istanbul the previous season, Kevin De Bruyne’s surgeon decided to prescribe surgery.

Although De Bruyne’s initial prognosis said that he wouldn’t play competitively for Manchester City again until the first few weeks of 2024, new information regarding the 32-year-old suggests that the attacking midfielder might make a minor recovery sooner.

Prior to Manchester City’s Premier League matchup with Chelsea on Saturday afternoon, Pep Guardiola gave an update on Kevin De Bruyne’s recuperation from hamstring surgery earlier in the season.

‘I spoke with him two days ago and he said he feels really good but… recover,’ Guardiola said. ‘With these kind of injuries, it’s better not to put pressure.

‘When he feels good and the doctors are confident, we can take the next step. You don’t want to go too early and have to go back again. A tough injury, surgery, so step by step.’

De Bruyne isn’t running yet, but his initial expected return date was around New Year’s. John Stones is also sidelined for City as they prepare to play Chelsea on Sunday; he hobbled out of the midweek victory over Young Boys due to a hip issue.

Stones had just recaptured his form after missing the majority of the season so far, with Guardiola claiming that City are ‘in trouble’ without the England international.

‘We will see when we come back from the international break, I don’t know,’ Guardiola added.

‘The doctor said to me it’s not as bad but I still don’t know. When he’s going to be fit again, he’s going to come back.

‘The partnership with Rodri worked so well in the defining moments of last season but this season we could not use it much. Now it’s time to reflect on what we have to do, to do better.’