Pep Guardola Sends Warning to De Bruyne as Belgian Prepares to Return from Injury

• Kevin de Bruyne is set to make a comeback from injury after months out
• Pep Guardiola is wary of factors that could lead to another De Bruyne setback
• City face Huddersfield in the FA Cup third round on Sunday, January 7

Pep Guardiola has warned Kevin de Bruyne that he needs to pace himself for the Premier League or risk another lengthy injury layoff.

De Bruyne has been out of action since August 2023 after tearing his hamstring but is close to a full recovery after undergoing surgery.

The Belgian was named on the bench for City’s latest game, a 2-0 win over Sheffield United.

City’s next game is an FA Cup third-round tie against Huddersfield, and Guardiola could end up needing De Bruyne’s services in the first team as the team has several absentees.

Rodri returned to Spain following the death of his grandmother, while some members of the squad, including Bernardo Silva, Matheus Nunes, Kalvin Phillips and Scott Carson, have been hit with a flu bug and could miss the tie, according to The Mirror.

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Guardiola’s warning to De Bruyne

In his press conference on Thursday, Guardiola warned his star midfielder to play within himself or risk another injury setback.

“I'd love Kevin to play the way he played the last eight years with me,” Guardiola said, as quoted on GOAL.com.

“I think he's not going to change his qualities, they are there. Of course, it was a big injury and what concerns us the most is to try and avoid a repeat of it. This is what we have to be careful with, with his minutes at first.

He added: "There's enthusiasm in the first minutes - 'Wow, I’m going to play' – but you have to careful with that. You have to speak with him, but especially with his doctors, the physio and the guys who know what the minutes should be and the best processes.

With City having so many absentees, it remains uncertain whether Guardiola will risk De Bruyne against Huddersfield, although it is unlikely.

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City’s next Premier League game is a tricky fixture against Newcastle on January 13, but that game might also have come too soon for the Belgian.

Perisic told he may not play for Spurs again

Elsewhere, Sports Brief reported on Ange Postecoglou’s take on Ivan Perisic as the Croatian is set to leave Tottenham.

Perisic’s career took a turn for the worse in September 2023 when he suffered a complex anterior ligament injury which required surgery.

He is on the road to recovery and could be in contention to represent Croatia in the European Championship, but his club career hangs in the balance after Postecoglou’s latest comments.