Kevin De Bruyne has been in good form since returning from a hamstring injury, scoring four goals and assisting 13 times in all competitions in 2024. Despite this, he was named on the bench for a recent match by manager Pep Guardiola. It was revealed that De Bruyne had started vomiting before the game at Santiago Bernabeu, with reports from the Daily Star suggesting he had contracted food poisoning at the team hotel before the match.
The club was concerned that other players might also fall ill, which would have jeopardized their chances, especially with key players like Kyle Walker and Nathan Ake already out due to injury.