Kompany ‘ruled himself out of Barcelona defeat’
Pep Guardiola has claimed that Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany ruled himself out of the Champions League defeat against Barcelona by insisting he was not fit to play in the Nou Camp.
Kompany, troubled by muscle injuries over the past two seasons, has amassed just ninety minutes of football this term in two appearances for Guardiola’s team.
The Belgian’s absence was a surprise in Barcelona, with Guardiola failing to name the 30-year-old in his match-day squad and midfielder Kevin De Bruyne claiming, ‘That was Pep’s choice.’
But Guardiola, who also insisted Sergio Aguero would decide his own future at City, has now claimed that Kompany declared himself unfit to face the Spanish champions.
"Kompany was not fit,” Aguero said. “I have never been with Vincent in the past, but what I saw when he is fit, guys he's a real central defender. I like him, but we tried to take care of him.
“He went to the doctors in Barcelona and said, ‘I'm not able to play.’
“The people say no because (it was between) Pep, Vincent and Sergio, but you can use the press conference to ask me the truth.” Aguero, City’s all-time leading goalscorer in Europe, started the 4-0 defeat against Barcelona on the substitutes’ bench with Guardiola attempting to flood his midfield with an extra man.
But despite his decision not to start with the Argentine, Guardiola insisted that Aguero remains a key figure and will only leave City if, or when, he wants to do so.
“My decision was to leave Aguero on the bench,” he said. “If we lose I'm guilty, if we win I'm a genius.
"But out of my plans? I think I took a decision about my plans, and my plans are that Sergio and Vincent Kompany are part of the future of Manchester City.
"Aguero was a tactical decision, we wanted more in the middle. I try to keep the ball in Camp Nou because I believe when you have the ball, Messi, Suarez and Neymar don't have it and they are still dangerous, but less dangerous.
"I spoke to Sergio about that, he was so understanding. He helped us a lot in the last minutes. That was the reason why.
"When Sergio decides to leave City it will be his decision. Next time you write that he is not in my plans, you can call me and we can explain what is the truth."