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Kevin De Bruyne has returned to Manchester City training as Pep Guardiola’s team prepares for the Club World Cup.
The Belgium international has returned to action following a four-month injury layoff. However, his return has been overshadowed by the horror of his 70-acre mansion being broken into on Saturday.
Kevin De Bruyne, his wife Michele, and their three children were not present during the raid.
As the family deals with the break-in, De Bruyne has accelerated his recovery by returning to training with his City teammates in Saudi Arabia.
During the session, the Belgian midfielder was seen smiling and in good spirits. Given his team’s recent poor form, Guardiola will be hoping that his star playmaker can now return sooner.
In addition to De Bruyne, star striker Erling Haaland is in Saudi Arabia with his teammates despite recent injury concerns.
The striker was left out of City’s squad for the weekend’s 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace.
De Bruyne’s return to first-team football was long anticipated, especially after he was named to City’s squad for the tournament.
Items were taken from his home, according to Belgian news outlet HLN, but no further details were available. The burglars used a stepladder to gain access to the property’s first floor in Bolderberg, Heusden-Zolder.
De Bruyne got the 70-acre estate in 2015 and finished building a villa in February 2019 using natural white stone.
The house has a pool, a jacuzzi, and a basketball court.
Kevin De Bruyne returns to the Squad
According to HLN, the De Bruyne family only visits Belgium on occasion and spends the majority of their time in Wilmslow, Cheshire.
De Bruyne will be hoping to find his groove in a competition that European teams have dominated.
In its modern incarnation, European clubs have won 15 of the 18 editions, with Corinthians being the last Brazilian team to win in 2012.
After Manchester United, Liverpool, and Chelsea, City could become the fourth English club to win the tournament.
They begin their Club World Cup campaign against Urawa Red Diamonds of Japan on Tuesday at 6 p.m., hoping to win the trophy for the first time.
Pep Guardiola’s men only need to win their semi-final against the Asian Champions League winners to play in the final.
Kevin made his Premier League debut against Burnley after appearing in the FA Community Shield against Arsenal.
The hamstring injury necessitated surgery, and De Bruyne is only now nearing a return to action.
