Kompany must be very strong mentally: Manchester City coach Pellegrini

AP , Wednesday 16 Mar 2016

Manchester City
Manchester City's Vincent Kompany (AFP)

Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany's injury problems resurfaced on Tuesday when he limped off just five minutes into the team's Champions League match against Dynamo Kiev.

City manager Manuel Pellegrini said Kompany had a recurrence of a calf muscle injury and that the defender will have tests over the next two days to determine the severity of the injury. But the coach warned that "a muscle injury is a minimum of one month."

It is the 14th time that Kompany has sustained a calf injury since joining City in 2008. He has already had spells of a month and six weeks out of action this season because of calf problems.

"I think he must be very strong mentally," Pellegrini said. "It's very difficult to accept but he has nothing else to do."

Kompany was hurt as he stretched for the ball under pressure from a Dynamo player. He turned and cleared the ball, before immediately signaling to the bench.

Kompany was playing just his 18th game of the season, and his sixth in the last 20 days.

"You always take a risk. But working during the week is a risk," Pellegrini said. "He recovered without any problem. It was the sixth game (in a short period) but he didn't feel any problem before the game, so I didn't think it was a risk. Just bad luck."

In a further defensive blow for City, Nicolas Otamendi — Kompany's fellow center back — came off in the 23rd with an apparent knee injury.

Pellegrini said he believes the Argentina defender will only be out for "a couple of days." City plays Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday.

City drew the game 0-0 and advanced 3-1, reaching the quarterfinals for the first time.

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