MANCHESTER CITY created club history by reaching the last eight of the Champions League for the first time with a 2-0 aggregate victory over Dynamo Kiev … but it came at a cost.
Skipper Vincent Kompany went off during the goalless second leg with yet another calf problem – his 14th such injury since signing for City in 2008.
The centre-back is expected to be out for at least a month and is likely to miss the first leg of City’s Champions League quarter-final.
“With players I’ve spoken to over the years who have had recurring problems, like Michael Owen, they say you run on the field and you’re petrified that your body is going to let you down.”
But the latest recurrence of the same injury has raised real concern over the 29-year-old’s long-term future.
BBC Radio 5 live commentator Andy Townsend said: “This is a recurring injury and it’s becoming a chronic situation with his calf. It must be seriously worrying for him now.
“The club have to seriously think about the lad’s long-term career. This injury is such a persistent one that he is going to have a serious, serious issue if he’s not careful.
Kompany has been a tremendous servant for City and his importance is clear. This season, they have conceded a goal every 156 minutes when he is on the pitch and every 70 minutes without him.
But, as Townsend suggested, such an injury is only likely to cause him more problems as he gets older and it must be a concern for incoming manager Pep Guardiola.
Do City need to start looking for a long-term replacement for Kompany?
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