Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini told reporters on 29 January that midfielder Kevin de Bruyne will be out for eight to 10 weeks after tearing ankle and knee ligaments in the League Cup semi-final win over Everton.
We knew after the game that it was a serious injury. Not the whole season away, though. It was not a cruciate ligament but we knew it was an important matter. We hoped he could return quicker but the first diagnostic is that he must be out for eight or ten weeks, he said.
The Belgium international was carried off on a stretcher after suffering the injury late in the 3-1 League Cup second-leg win at the Etihad Stadium. As well as the cup final, he will miss both legs of Citys Champions League last-16 tie against Dynamo Kiev and will be doubtful for the quarter-finals in April should they qualify. Yet Pellegrini said the club would not be dipping into the transfer market and would use existing squad members in De Bruynes absence.
It is not our intention to bring in anyone, he said. I have said before that we have a squad. The squad is doing very well so far. And I am repeating in this moment that we could not play with [David] Silva, with [Sergio] Aguero, now we are going to play without Kevin but I continue trusting in my squad and I am sure that we will continue being a competitive team.
Pellegrini was asked about the possibility of winning four trophies this season, as the club is still competing in the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and Champions League.
I just said it is very important for us to be focusing game by game, he replied. It is very difficult to play so many games. It is not a target that we have in mind at this moment because it is not a realistic target. The only thing that you must demonstrate when you play every competition is that you are continuing to be involved in that competition. We have to play tomorrow against Aston Villa. If we fail tomorrow it finishes what we are talking about so it is important to demonstrate with performance in the moment that we have so far.
