MANCHESTER, England — Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini says Kevin De Bruyne damaged the medial ligament in his right knee in the win over Everton in their English League Cup semifinal match on Wednesday.
De Bruyne was carried off late in the game on a stretcher, in clear pain and with his right leg in a brace. He was injured after falling awkwardly following a tackle from Everton defender Ramiro Funes Mori.
Pellegrini says De Bruyne has hurt his medial ligaments, not his cruciate, and that it is impossible to say how long the Belgium midfielder will be sidelined
Pellegrini says "I’m optimistic he will not be out for the season" because it is not a cruciate injury.
De Bruyne joined from Wolfsburg for a reported 58 million pounds ($89 million) in August.
