Kevin De Bruyne left off Manchester City team sheet for Club World Cup semifinals in Saudi Arabia
Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne walks on to the pitch before the Soccer Club World Cup semifinal soccer match between Urawa Reds and Manchester City FC at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish and Phil Foden, from left, chat on to the pitch before the Soccer Club World Cup semifinal soccer match between Urawa Reds and Manchester City FC at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne walks on to the pitch before the Soccer Club World Cup semifinal soccer match between Urawa Reds and Manchester City FC at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne walks on to the pitch before the Soccer Club World Cup semifinal soccer match between Urawa Reds and Manchester City FC at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish and Phil Foden, from left, chat on to the pitch before the Soccer Club World Cup semifinal soccer match between Urawa Reds and Manchester City FC at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish and Phil Foden, from left, chat on to the pitch before the Soccer Club World Cup semifinal soccer match between Urawa Reds and Manchester City FC at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Kevin De Bruyne was not included among the substitutes for Manchester City on Tuesday despite traveling to Saudi Arabia for the team’s Club World Cup semifinal game against Japanese club Urawa Red Diamonds.
De Bruyne had been a surprise addition Monday at the team’s light training session at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium.
The 32-year-old playmaker had surgery on a hamstring injury more than four months ago. He last played for the European champions on Aug. 11 against Burnley, leaving the field just 23 minutes into the first game of the Premier League season.
It was the same problem that forced the Belgium playmaker to be substituted in the first half of the Champions League final against Inter Milan in June.
The winner of Tuesday’s match will play Brazilian club Fluminense in the Club World Cup final on Friday. The loser will face Egyptian club Al Ahly in the third-place game on the same day.
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