City’s De Bruyne suffers fractures to nose and eye socket

Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne fractured his nose and a bone around his left eye socket in Saturday’s Champions League loss to Chelsea, the 29-year-old said on Sunday.

The Belgium international had to go off on the hour mark with concussion in City’s 1-0 defeat at Porto’s Estadio Do Dragao after an accidental clash with Chelsea defender Antonio Rudiger left him on the ground.

“Hi guys just got back from the hospital. My diagnosis is acute nose bone fracture and left orbital fracture,” De Bruyne, who had well below his normal level of impact on the game, wrote on Twitter.

“I feel okay now. Still disappointed about yesterday obviously but we will be back.”

De Bruyne did not give a timeline for his return to action, with Belgium set to play their opening European Championship fixture against Russia in St Petersburg on June 12.

Rudiger apologised to the Belgian midfielder on Twitter later on Sunday, saying: “I’m really sorry for De Bruyne’s injury. Of course this was not intentional from me.

“I’ve already been in touch with Kevin personally and I really wish him a speedy recovery and hope we can see him back on the pitch very soon again.”