UEFA Nations League: Manchester City Midfielder Withdraws From Belgium Lineup

KEY POINTS

Kevin de Bruyne withdrew from Belgium’s UEFA Nations League lineup
De Bruyne will be assessed if he can play in Manchester City’s match against Arsenal on Saturday
Manchester City is currently ranked 14th in the Premier League table

Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne will not be able to suit up for Belgium’s next matches in the UEFA Nations League.

The 29-year-old midfielder was substituted after 73 minutes in Belgium’s 2-1 Nations League loss to England on Sunday at Wembley, BBC Sport reported.

"Kevin De Bruyne has returned to his club. He couldn’t be fit enough to play against Iceland," the Belgian national team tweeted.

After the England game, Belgium manager Roberto Martinez shared that De Bruyne was taken off as a precautionary measure to avoid any future injuries. He added that though it’s too early to tell, he sensed that his player wasn’t in top condition.

"It was more precaution that we had to avoid [something], he wasn't 100%," Martinez said.

Throughout De Bruyne’s career, he’s served as a consistent midfielder on the field. The two-time English champion has been with Manchester City since 2015 and has an estimated market value of $141 million. In his stay with the Sky Blues, he has suited up for 227 appearances and has netted 58 goals to go along with 90 assists.

For international competitions, De Bruyne made his debut in 2010 and has appeared in 76 matches, scoring 19 times.

Belgium is one point behind England and is in second place in Nations League's Group A2 after three games in the competition. England has two wins and one draw and holds a 7-6 lead against Belgium. Denmark is behind them in their group with a record of a win, a loss and a draw.

De Bruyne will join teammate Raheem Sterling, who also withdrew from England's squad. Sterling also added his name to Manchester City’s injury list as the club prepares for its upcoming Premier League matches.

Manchester City is currently ranked 14th in the Premier League table with four points. The Sky Blues have a win, a loss and one draw so far.

The Guardian reported that De Bruyne will be assessed if he is cleared to play in Manchester City's Premier League match against Arsenal at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.