Belgian midfielder Kevin de Bruyne said he was satisfied with his team for having tried “to the end” against an Italy “with a lot of class” and explained that he played the Euro Cup quarter-final match against Italy with a torn ligament.
“Thanks to the medical team because what they have done these 4 days is incredible. Playing with a tear in the ligament is incredible … But I have been able to play 90 minutes. I have done everything possible to be prepared, “said the footballer after Belgium's defeat against Italy by 1-2.
The Manchester City captain was replaced last Monday in the 48th minute of the victory against Portugal in the round of 16 of the European Championship after a hard tackle on the ankle and was a doubt until hours before the quarterfinal match, which ended up playing from the start to end.
De Bruyne said he was “disappointed” by the defeat, but satisfied because the team led by Spanish Roberto Martínez has tried “to the end” in a tournament in which the team has been depleted by injuries.
“It has been a difficult tournament for us because of everything that has happened personally,” said De Bruyne.
Belgian captain and Real Madrid striker, Eden Hazard, who came to the tournament touched after two injury-filled seasons, progressively entered the team and in the match against Portugal asked for the change injured in the 87th minute.
Added to Hazard's problems are those of De Bruyne himself, who broke his face in the Champions League final and later joined the Belgian concentration, and the low of Timothy Castagne, that in the first match of the championship against Russia he had six fractures to his face in an air crash.
“We have fought to the end. We will try next time,” said De Bruyne, who did not want to elaborate on either the League of Nations or the World Cup in Qatar.
“Now I am going to try to put my body in order. I have had a lot of problems in the last two months”, commented.
The 30-year-old footballer and the best player of the season in the English Premier, said he understood that there could be criticism, but stressed that the team has tried, not like in the European Championship in France 2016, when they lost in the quarterfinals against Wales without character nor opposition.
“I know there are going to be people who are disappointed or angry but we have tried”, said de Bruyne, who insisted that there have been “some problems in the team to be 100%”, in relation to the physical problems of several of their best players.
“I think Italy was better in the first half. In the second part we have created occasions. We could, perhaps, have put the second, but we have not. We have tried. It's not like against Wales, “said De Bruyne, who stressed that Italy is” a team “with a lot of class.