Naples, Italy, Oct 28 (AP) - Napoli's fears were confirmed after receiving news that Kevin De Bruyne has sustained a severe lesion to his thigh muscle, sidelining him for several months. De Bruyne immediately pulled up and clutched his right thigh on Saturday after converting a penalty during Napoli's 3-1 victory over Inter Milan in Serie A. The former Manchester City midfielder appeared distraught and had to be assisted off the field by two medical staff members. He was later spotted on the bench with his thigh heavily strapped and crutches by his side. "Kevin De Bruyne underwent instrumental tests at the Pineta Grande Hospital, which revealed a high-grade lesion to the femoral bicep of his right thigh," Napoli announced in a statement on Monday. "The player has already commenced the rehabilitation process." Napoli, the Serie A club, did not specify when De Bruyne is expected to return. However, Napoli and Belgium teammate Romelu Lukaku suffered a similar injury during a preseason friendly, and he is anticipated to be back by January. The penalty boosted De Bruyne's tally to four goals in eight Serie A matches, propelling Napoli to a share of the Serie A lead, but at a significant cost. Fellow midfielder Stanislav Lobotka is also sidelined due to injury, and Frank Anguissa will be representing Cameroon at the Africa Cup of Nations in December and January. Despite these setbacks, the news also impacts Belgium, which faces crucial World Cup qualifiers next month. De Bruyne has impressively netted six goals in his last five matches for his country. (AP)
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