The former Manchester City midfielder appeared to pick up an injury in the process of finding the net against Inter Milan, and was seen in tears as he was helped off the pitch at the weekend.
He was helped off the field by two members of Napoli’s medical staff, and now, in a statement, the Italian side have confirmed the severity of his injury that will leave him on the sidelines for a number of months.
“Following the injury sustained during the match against Inter, Kevin De Bruyne underwent tests at Pineta Grande Hospital, which revealed a high-grade tear of the biceps femoris muscle in his right thigh.
“The Azzurri player has already begun his rehabilitation programme.”
Worryingly, the Belgium international has a troubled history of issues with his right hamstring, and underwent major surgery in a bid to rectify the problem in the summer of 2023. This may now have come back for the playmaker, who will now work hard behind the scenes to return to full fitness.
The 34-year-old has made six starts since heading to Italy, scoring four goals, with three of those coming from the spot. He will now miss crucial league and European fixtures heading into the Christmas break, in what is a huge headache for manager Antonio Conte.