Belgian manager Roberto Martinez has admitted that he is unsure whether star duo Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard will be able to return to this summer’s Euro after both players left Sunday’s 1-0 win over Portugal with injuries.
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De Bruyne injured his ankle in a nasty challenge before the break, but after trying to continue, he only managed three minutes of the second half before asking to be substituted. Hazard joined him on the bench 40 minutes later after complaining of a hoarding problem.
These battles could hardly have come at a worse time for Belgium, who are preparing for a quarter-final meeting with Italy on July 2, and Martinez admitted that half of that preparation period will be spent worrying about the difficulty of both injuries.
“We will need 48 hours to find out the extent of the damage,” he said (via the Daily Mail). “Kevin De Bruyne is his ankle, it was a really bad tackle. We have no diagnosis from the ward.
“Eden Hazard is more muscle. We’ll go back to Belgium tonight and scan tomorrow.”
Ice-pack. ? pic.twitter.com/owAM7IdErd
– Kristof Terreur (@HLNinEngeland) 28 June 2021
There is hope that De Bruyne will be able to return sometime this summer, with the fact that he felt able to continue playing cards suggesting that the injury may not be as serious, but that optimism does not include Hazard.
“I think the euro for Eden is over, he will not play anymore,” said goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois (via the subway).
Hazard himself was anxious to keep an open mind about his injury and suggested that this muscle injury might not be serious.
Hazards Euros May Be Over / Quality Sport Images / Getty Images
“I do not know what I have done,” he said (via Marca). “It hurts a little and we will see in the tests.
“The pain was less than I have felt on other occasions. I can not say that my euros are finished yet, but if they are I would stay to support the team.”
We also got a little update from brother and goal scorer Thorgan, who added: “He had a muscle injury and hopefully it is not serious. He did not look good but hopefully he can be back the rest of the euro. Also De Bruyne because we need them both . “
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