Belgium breathes a sigh of relief as De Bruyne joins the national team

Kevin De Bruyne underwent minor eye surgery after sustaining an injury in the Champions League final and will join the Belgium squad that prepares for Euro 2020 on Monday.

There were concerns about the midfielder missing the European Championship or part of it, but Belgium coach Roberto Martinez said the surgery he underwent was a "minimal intervention".

"It went well, positively," Martinez told reporters on Saturday. "We are looking forward to Monday when he joins our squad.

"This simple intervention was necessary for the long-term vision. The recovery process will not be long."

"The surgery was finished in 20 minutes. The medical staff were satisfied with the result. De Bruyne is doing well now and that's it."

De Bruyne suffered a broken nose and the bones surrounding the cavity of his left eye during City's 1-0 loss to Chelsea in the Champions League final last Saturday.

The return of the 29-year-old will be important for Martinez, who hopes to lead Belgium, ranked number one in the world, to its first European title.

Belgium opens its campaign in the finals next Saturday against Russia in St. Petersburg, and also plays against Denmark and Finland in the same group.

Before that, Belgium plays Croatia in a friendly on Sunday after a 1-1 draw with Greece last week.

"We have to show that we have taken a step forward in our preparations for the tournament. We will face a strong team with great experience and competence in the midfield," Martinez said.

"We have to be sharper and more focused. It is a test of our matches in the European Championship and we needed this match."

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