Soccer

Manchester City may gamble on fitness of Vincent Kompany

Defender has not played since being injured in Champions League in March

Manchester City’s Vincent Kompany may return for his side’s Champions League clash with Paris Saint Germain. Photo: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters
Manchester City’s Vincent Kompany may return for his side’s Champions League clash with Paris Saint Germain. Photo: Jason Cairnduff/Reuters
Jamie Jackson
Thu Apr 07 2016 - 23:05

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini is considering gambling on Vincent Kompany's fitness for next Tuesday's Champions League showdown against Paris Saint-Germain, despite the concerns of Belgium's coach, Marc Wilmots, that a further injury may rule the defender out of Euro 2016.

Kompany has not played since injuring a knee on March 15th in City’s Champions League last-16 second leg against Dynamo Kyiv.

On Wednesday, City drew 2-2 at PSG in the quarter-final first leg. Pellegrini’s team will take what could prove two vital away goals into next week’s return, yet at Parc des Princes the defence was again shaky.

This will further strengthen the manager’s wish to select Kompany for Tuesday, with City having a real chance of reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time.

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Season finished

Yet when Kompany was injured in March, Wilmots claimed to have spoken to the central defender and indicated that the player’s season was finished.

"Vincent Kompany suffered a calf tear, which means he will need five to eight weeks to return," he said. "I spoke to him on the phone. He has huge desire. We'll see him on May 16th."

Although Pellegrini has since stated Kompany has a knee rather than calf problem, after the draw with PSG he was clear the captain has a chance of featuring on Tuesday.

“We’ll see him during the week and what he improves,” the Chilean said. “The last few days he’s worked very well. Now we must test him with more intensity and it’s very difficult to tell now.”

Wilmots is understood to want Kompany, his country's captain, not to risk his fitness before Euro 2016 in what is the latest difference of opinion between a City manager and the Belgium coach over the 29-year-old's fitness.

Last October Kompany was named in the squad for the Euro 2016 qualifiers against Andorra and Israel by Wilmots, despite Kompany having been out injured since September 15th, and Pellegrini saying he could not play. Wilmots started him against Israel.

In March 2013, Roberto Mancini, Pellegrini’s predecessor, criticised Wilmots for playing Kompany against Macedonia after a 60-day absence with a calf injury. Guardian service