Vincent Kompany to sit out his testimonial with hamstring injury

Vincent Kompany says he will not play in his testimonial on Wednesday night due to a hamstring injury.

A host of Manchester City and Premier League legends are set to turn out for Kompany’s testimonial at the Etihad Stadium, live on Sky Sports Premier League on Wednesday evening from 7pm.

Mario Balotelli, Thierry Henry, Ryan Giggs, Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie are among the star names who will be in action.

However, the Belgian himself says that he, ironically, will not be able to play due to a hamstring problem.

“Unfortunately I won’t be starting tonight or playing. It’s typical of me, right? I’m usually just there for the end of the season,” Kompany said.

“I’ve got a slight hamstring injury. I couldn’t risk it tonight.

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“We’ve got plenty of awesome players to be watching today and in many ways it is about a celebration to say goodbye, it doesn’t need to be on the pitch as such.

“In the same way, we are doing it for an unbelievable cause. That takes priority. I’ll be there for David Silva and Kun Aguero’s testimonials.”

Manchester City have renamed a road inside their training complex after Kompany to coincide with his testimonial, and have also commissioned a sculpture of their former captain to be erected outside the Etihad.

The road connecting the club’s academy pitches and the first-team centre has been renamed the ‘Vincent Kompany Crescent’ and also features a mosaic inspired by the Belgian’s match-winning goal against Manchester United in 2012.

“It is an incredible honour to be recognised by this special club in this way,” said Kompany.

“The journey that we went on together throughout my 11 years in Manchester changed my life and I am delighted to have played my small part in altering the course of this club’s history during that time.”

Manchester City chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, added: “Vincent is a special figure in the history of Manchester City Football Club. He is not only an inspirational and resolute leader on the pitch, but an impeccable and articulate ambassador off it.

“His contribution will be remembered for generations to come, by supporters of our club and the wider football community who rightly recognise Vincent as one of the iconic Premier League figures of his generation.”

‘Van Dijk impressed me most’

Reflecting on his 11-year stay at Manchester City in the Premier League, Kompany was asked to pick out the best defender in the Premier League era.

Kompany ruled himself out of the question due to his injuries but picked out current Liverpool centre-back and UEFA Player of the Season Virgil van Dijk as the defender who has impressed him most.

“Players that really impressed when I played against them at central defence, I would bring it back to Virgil van Dijk,” he said.

“It’s a weird one because he hasn’t been on the scene for as long as these names we mentioned, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand, these guys were there for a long, long time.

“But the signs he’s showed in this last few years just make it so obvious that if he would’ve been at the top, top level before that he would’ve been already further as well.

“From what I’ve seen in terms of having an impact on the team, and a defender is never about himself, it’s about his communication with other guys and how you make your team more solid.

“The Liverpool before Van Dijk and the one after him it’s a completely different set-up and I’ll give him that one because of that.”

(c) Sky Sports 2019: Vincent Kompany to sit out his testimonial with hamstring injury