Bad Kompany News for Belgium

Kompany injured in Madrid - Getty Images

Belgium suffered a blow on Saturday when skipper Vincent Kompany was ruled out of the EURO 2016 tournament with his latest in a series of muscular injuries.

"I'll miss the Euros. To me that's very sad news," the 30-year-old Manchester City captain wrote on his Facebook page.

"So I could be standing here, feeling sorry for myself. I could fear for my career, as others may do. I could give up...That is not me."

Kompany has been dogged by a series of injuries for most of the season and the defender limped out of the Champions League semi-final defeat to Real Madrid on Wednesday after just 10 minutes with a groin problem.

In Kompany's absence, it is expected that Chelsea's Eden Hazard is likely to captain Belgium at Euro 2016 which starts in France on June 10.

Belgium coach Marc Wilmots will also have a further defensive headache for the tournament as Barcelona centre-back Thomas Vermaelen is also injury prone and features little for the Spanish giants.

Recently, Belgian newspaper Le Soir calculated that in his 13-year career, Kompany has spent 1,045 days in hospital, highlighting his reputation as a player of brittle build.

At Manchester City, he has won the Premier League title on two occasions - in 2012 and 2014.

Kompany has suffered five different injuries this season, appearing in only 22 of City's 57 matches.

"So I remain calm and positive. I will continue to follow my path and I will do so with more conviction than ever," the 70-capped player wrote on Facebook.

"I trust my friends and teammates to do well and do us proud at the next European Championships in France. I am now officially their most fervent supporter and I will be there to support them.

"Written from my hospital bed. Never giving up."

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Real Madrid v Manchester City - Preview

Pellegrini - Getty Images

Cristiano Ronaldo returned to full training, Sergio Aguero is slightly off his goal scoring form and David Silva is unavailable due to injury - with Yaya Toure recalled to the travelling squad for the return clash with Real Madrid. All factors suggesting that Manchester City arrive with little hope and the odds stacked against them at the Santiago Bernabeu. But as this is the semi-final of the Champions League anything is possible and Manuel Pellegrini’s team could hardly misfire as much as they did at the Etihad last week in the first leg. Although a defeat to Southampton away on Sunday hardly offered the right medicine.

In contrast Real Madrid squeezed a win at the weekend in San Sebastian and continue to show no goals conceded at home in the Champions League. They also have reinvigorated their flagging since season since Zinédine Zidane took over in January and with Ronaldo back the sense of propose and momentum always increases. As will the expectation on Wednesday night. Which could be the only thing that they could suffocate the life out of the players should City apply the high pressing game early doors - and score early. Especially with Casemiro and Karim Benzema both unavailable as the Frenchman's 23 goals this season show he will be a loss on the night. But Toni Kroos has been confirmed fit after sitting out the weekend win at Real Sociedad which is a boost.

This semi-final will be the fifth match for Real Madrid in the last five years against an English team and thus far they have recorded three wins and a draw in the home ties. The first of these was in April 2011 when Tottenham were the visitors and lost 4-0. Both Gareth Bale and Luka Modric still playing for the visitors on that occasion. In September 2012 Manchester City arrived in the group stages. A year later Ronaldo scored against his former club in March 2013 in a 1-1 draw against Manchester United in the round of 16 matches. Then in 2015 Madrid came up against Liverpool in the group stages and Benzema got the only goal to shorten the European adventure for the then manager, Brendan Rodgers.

On Wednesday Zidane will field the usual defensive line up of Marcelo, Sergio Ramos, Pepe and Dani Carvajal all protecting keeper Kaylor Navas The midfield will vary with the injuries and Jese likely to slot in the place of Benzema ahead of Lucas Vazquez. The replacement for Casemiro is a tougher choice as the Brazilian is a ZiZou favourite as his defensive strengths compensate for the attacking work of Bale, Kroos and Modric. Also helps protect the Madrid back four that are always suspect when fast runners attack them like Kevin DeBruyne. The likely option being Isco ahead of Kovacic. Although this is a script written for the Croatian star.

The front line will be spearheaded by Ronaldo with the support of Bale as a roaming attacker it would seem.

The City side probably also picks itself with Brazilian midfield duo Fernando and Fernandinho likely selections, along with Aguero and Kevin De Bruyne The real decisions involve Iheanacho or Bony in a line up alongside Aguero. Or a midfield five to include Raheem Sterling out wide or Yaya Toure at number ten. In their last trip to Spain a 3-1 victory away at Sevilla in the group stages was no mean an achievement so they won’t fear the Madrid visit. Also Madrid’s failure to score in the first leg opens up an opportunity to progress with a vital away goal the clear option.

Coach Pellegrini comes armed too with some bad memories of his sacking by Florentino Perez in 2010 for having failed to win La Liga at first time of asking. The run this season for Manchester City - in a tournament that has stopped them for years at the group stage - is very ominous to any Madrid supporter as it suggests other forces may be at work. As is all the background noise that Pellegrini supposedly has no chance compounded by the irony that his replacement next season at City next season lost to Atletico in the other semi-final in Munich on Tuesday night. Pep Guardiola unable either to meet the expectations of his employers during his three-year term in Germany. All suggesting that fate may play a role in Madrid on Wednesday night and Pellegrini may yet enjoy a fairy-tale finish. 

Destiny has a habit of unravelling unsuspecting narratives in this great tournament despite all the pre-match rationale that hints otherwise. In the Champions League latter stages outcomes are not always logical as Chelsea proved in 2012 under Roberto DiMatteo - seeing off the might of Bayern Munich in the final at the Allianz Arena. Consequently, Zidane knows he will come of age if Madrid reach Milan after tonight’s final whistle. A final that in Hampden Park in 2002 he graced with a volley that will always top those lists of best ever goals. 

A win against City would also fast track his chance of joining players who have won the Champions League as players and managers. A list of names like Guardiola, Beckenbauer, Cruyff and Ancelotti – where he would fit in perfectly. If not, he could face the Pellegrini treatment and find himself out of favour with President Perez quite promptly. So clearly there will be no lack of focus for Zidane come kick off at the Bernabeu. Or indeed Pellegrini who has sacrificed the Premier League ambitions in recent months for Champions League success.

Zinédine Zidane, Real Madrid coach

Cristiano is fine, 100%. There's no risk – he's training. He's improved over the last week. He is a player who looks after himself and recovers quickly.

It will be a disaster if we don't go through. This will be a tougher game than the first leg because we know it will all be decided. They have good players, especially up front, but we'll play our football as always. We won't have the same game as the second leg against Wolfsburg. We can't think we'll score two or three inside 15 minutes. It's a different game and we know we'll suffer from the first minute to the 90th. We need to be patient and calm.

We need to think about playing football, pressing high up and being intense. We also know we are playing a very difficult opponent who will make things difficult. There's no special plan for Agüero, who is a fundamental player for them.

Manuel Pellegrini, Manchester City manager

Our aim must be to get to a final that we have never before reached. We have a lot of faith in our ability and expect to prove it. It's always good to be back at the Santiago Bernabéu – I have very good memories of being here. The pressure at this stadium is always great but we have the personality and team to win it.

We have the opportunity to make club history but we will have to play well. We tried to press and steal the ball in Manchester but it was not a good day. Tomorrow we will try to have possession and attack from the first minute. Great matches are decided by the best, but we have to play as a team defensively and offensively against Real Madrid; not just Cristiano. 

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Bale Believes in Bernabeu Win

Gareth Bale - Getty Images

Gareth Bale is confident Real Madrid will progress to the Champions League final, despite the frustration of failing to make their chances count at Manchester City.

The absence of star turn Cristiano Ronaldo gave Manuel Pellegrini's side a boost ahead of the first-leg on Tuesday, but they were made to sweat for a goalless draw in their first ever semi-final appearance.

Jese hit the crossbar as Real improved markedly after half-time, with Joe Hart having to be at his best late on to prevent Casimero and Pepe netting all-important away goals.

Bale was frustrated not to have found a winner, especially having felt both he and Lucas Vazquez should have had penalties, but was upbeat about the 10-time champions' chances of making May's Milan showpiece.

"I didn't think we had to change too much," the attacker said of coping with Ronaldo's absence. "I think the players, Jese and Lucas, who came in did a very good job.

"We looked solid, we looked a threat on the counter and we were unlucky maybe not to get the goal and a few penalties.

"It was a little bit frustrating not to be able to score, but we got a clean sheet and we go back to the Bernabeu now very confident. Obviously we'd loved to have scored a goal, but it is not a bad result.

Zinedine Zidane's side certainly go into the home leg in a far better position than they did in the quarter-finals, when Wolfsburg led 2-0 from the first leg.

However, Real rallied and progressed thanks to a 3-0 triumph on home turf - a result that gives them understandable confidence, albeit Bale knows City are a different calibre of opponent.

"Of course you have to play it carefully, but ultimately when we're at home we attack a lot," he said.

"We'll try to keep it defensively tight as well so it will obviously be a difficult game at home, we know that. They're a very good team.

"I think both teams are evenly matched. We're very confident at home. We know it'll be a difficult game, but we will be going all out to try and win it."

Toni Kroos echoed those sentiments, underlining the belief in the Madrid squad that they will make it to the San Siro.

"Manchester City are a good team, but we're playing at the Bernabeu and we believe we can win the tie," the Germany midfielder said.

"It doesn't matter who the favourite is. The winner will be in the final. Everyone knows we're good at home, we showed that in the quarters and we hope to do so again on Wednesday.

"We have to play well and do things like we did against Wolfsburg. If we play like that I think we'll be in the final."

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Manchester City v Real Madrid - Preview

Getty Images

A year ago Real Madrid fell at the semi-final stage against a brighter Juventus side that was defensively robust, inventive on the counter and very complete in the middle with the silken skills of a still energetic. Andrea Pirlo. A combination that squeezed the Spanish team where they felt strongest. The inherent weaknesses at the back made look worse by some untimely injuries that eliminated Karim Benzema and saw Gareth Bale just returning from injury and the absence of Luka Modric. Up to that match Carlo Ancelotti had survived using Sergio Ramos in midfield and Pepe deputising alongside Varanne. But as the end of the season approached Ancelotti’s 2014 champions were unravelling and that lucky win against Atletico Madrid in the quarter finals could not hide the problems of the trip to Turin. So Ramos stepped back into the back four.

In the first leg Juventus exposed those weaknesses which a fully fit Bale might have fared better as Real Madrid reject Alvaro Morata got on the score sheet after just 9 minutes. The energy of Carlos Tevez and Chile’s Arturo Vidal also causing Madrid chaos. The Argentinian getting on the score sheet after Ronaldo had equalised on the half hour and Juventus well able to cope with the absent Paul Pogba. Easily relying on Claudio Marchisio, Giorgio Chiellini, and the poise of Pirlo leaving 2-1 first leg score line never enough to match the Italians in a return at the Bernabeu. Particularly given the manner in which they play such an efficient and physical game, all at a speed that Real Madrid found uncomfortable. Not unlike the Diego Simeone style also played and nearly won the final in Lisbon in 2014.

The return leg it was to prove no different as Varanne, Marcelo, Ramos and Dani Carvajal were pinned to their collars at the back dealing with the Juventus onslaught. Again, it was Cristiano who put Madrid ahead and into contention for the tie. But the home side efforts were unconvincing and so when Morata hit the net again on the hour mark all Juventus had to do was hold out to the end in their natural game - defending. Which they did effectively ending the Champion League holders hopes of winning back to back titles.; moving Ancelotti out the door and bringing a new managerial cycle to the Madrid club. A script which wheat awry when Florentino Perez plucked for Rafa Benitez against the wishes of the powerful lobby of a Madrid media

Therefore, this season the semi-finals are very different as the club suddenly found Zinedine Zidane was their man – after all - in the wake of the scuttled Benitez project in January. With a win at the Camp Nou achieved only a few weeks ago the La Liga chances are mathematically revitalised. So Real Madrid are now in a different place; playing in a different way even if with a very similar squad. Under ZiZou, Kroos now pushes more forward, Bale is in the shape of his life, with Ronaldo beating goal scoring records every week; and Modric holding right side of midfield. In the return leg against Wolfsburg a more direct style was in play and the coach happier with three across the middle. All much less rigid than the four-man midfield and linear system preferred by Benitez. The results showing that the players revel in that format and are more responsive with more graft than was accustomed under Rafa or Carlo.

A strength that populated all Zidane’s own performances despite his mesmeric skills and an ethos he is demanding of his first team players. Which will be seen at the Etihad on Tuesday night in the first leg semi-final. A match that is untimely for the visitors in so far as Manchester City are currently in goal scoring form and clearly a threatening force to the Madrid back four, which still creaks and leaks under pressure. With Pepe always a cause for concern when Varanne is out of the team as the Frenchman’s speed and agility always enough to cover the flaws of his other compadre, Sergio Ramos. Against City Aguero will be no easier than Tevez and DeBruyne. In fact, arguably a tougher task

Having only previously met in the group qualifying stages in 2012 there is little precedent on which to predict this one. Other than Ronaldo’s return to the city of Manchester, albeit the Blue side, might inspire another hat- trick. Or the reverse with the Portuguese talisman wilting under weight of expectation in this vital tie and leaving his teammates shouldering the burden. The only positive being that as Cristiano attracts markers it could allow Bale, Benzema [if fully fit] or Modric find any gaps in Joe Hart’s net. Undoubtedly Madrid will sit less deep than was evidenced at the Volkswagen Arena where Real Madrid were exposed when Danilo allowed Drexler run rampant. The same cannot be afforded Navas, Silva or Fernadinho. In place this time Zidane will have Casimiro, in front of the back four, and Carvajal back at right back

Regardless the first leg should be a City win. But not enough to give Perez sleepless nights for the return of his former employee, Manuel Pellegrini, to the Santiago Bernabeu on May 4th next.

Manuel Pellegrini

“It's very important to enjoy the semi-final as it's not something we achieve every year. The players know that. It's important not to be comfortable because we're at this stage. Everyone wants to continue, to play the final. We'll see a City team that will play to win.

We won't just try to defend to reach the final. I have always tried to have a team who play good football, play well. We need a hot heart and a cold mind ... We need our emotions under control.

Zinédine Zidane

“We are in a decent vein of form, probably the best of the season. We are going to do the best we possibly can to score and try not to concede. It's a game and tie that is 50/50. You can prepare all you want for a big game but then the game can turn out totally different to how you envisaged it. The important thing is to give 150%.

Our opponents are a great side. If you give them space, they can hurt you. The players get between the lines and cause problems. When we've not got the ball we must keep it tight and defend; when we have the ball we'll try and hurt them. The players are really focused. In 2014, there was a similar atmosphere in the dressing room.

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Many Paths on the Road to Milan

Milano 2016 - UEFA

It could be that Josep Guardiola wins the silverware in Milan in May for Bayern Munich and then moves to Manchester in the summer seeking to recover the same said Champions League trophy, for his new club Manchester City. Adding to the already secured trophies for his former employers, and boyhood club, FC Barcelona in 2009 and 2011. Should he fail to overcome the semi-final opponents and not win the trophy for his German employers this will all be anecdotal irony and Guardiola head off to will set up new objectives for the Etihad Stadium team. 

And based on recent results and the close calls with Juventus in the last sixteen, and to some degree Benfica in the quarterfinals, Bayern need to get sharper to enable Pep completes his Bavarian mission – and capture the last piece of his jigsaw for Bayern – absent since his predecessor Jupp Heynckes brought it home from Wembley in 2013.

But perhaps the draw will throw up another configuration and see Real Madrid renew their European battle with the Bavarians, who over the years, have usually proved an unsurmountable hurdle to Florentino Perez’s ambitions. In 2012 Jose Mourinho’s ambitions were ended in the Santiago Bernabeu by the Munich team following penalties, with Dortmund ending their hopes a season later. In Lisbon in the 2014 Final, Atletico Madrid were the injury time victims for a Carlo Ancelotti Madrid team who had already reeked revenge on Bayern in the semi-final. 

Last season Bayern and Madrid avoided each other with both teams falling at semi-final stage to Barcelona and Juventus respectively. A return meeting for Bayern - with Pep at the helm - in Madrid would recall bygone memories of Old Clasico epics. As well as bring Xabi Alonso back to his alma mater having left the club a few seasons ago for Germany.

For Pep though a fate worse than death might have been that feared meeting with Barcelona in the final four. However, Diego Simeone demolished that demon at the Vicente Calderon on Wednesday night and so its odds on Bayern will meet one of the Madrid teams. Back in 1974 Bayern and Atletico Madrid met in the Champions League final at the Heysel Stadium with the German team – not surprisingly - winning the first of their three European Cups that May evening. Their side a “de facto” German international team that just a few weeks later would lift the World Cup Jules Rimet trophy in Munich. Also captained by Franz Beckenbauer and featuring Munich stars Paul Breitner, Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck, Gerd Mueller, Uli Hoeness and Sepp Maier. 

With Atletico Madrid showing more modestly perhaps, Heredia from Argentina, Miguel Reina - father of Liverpool keeper Pepe- and the legendary Spanish 2008 EURO winning coach, Luis Aragones, also in the playing ranks. It proved a long night for Atleti then in Brussels and they lost by four goals. A result which would be unlikely to be repeated under Simeone’s defensive system.

With Manuel Pellegrini the intrigue would be a return to the club which fired him after losing La Liga to Barcelona by a mere three points in 2009 – despite amassing a total of 96 points in La Liga that year and beating the previous Real Madrid record set by John Toshack. Which was then surpassed in by José Mourinho in the 2011–12 season. For City to snatch a victory, from the jaws of Perez, would no doubt please Pellegrini should it come to pass - and secure passage to that Final in Milan as a result. It would also sit nicely with his Premier League silverware secured in 2104. 

Should Pellegrini draw Simeone then it will be a nationalistic grudge between Argentina and Chile which at many levels is already tension filled enough - without the added pressure of a Champions League semi-final to play. The advantage on this occasion being that Atletico know their way to a final, having done so two seasons ago. But for Manchester it would be a new journey. Yet one they seem to be adapting to very easily it would seem thus far this season.

Zinedine Zidane like Guardiola has won a Champions League medal as a player. But has yet to add the title to his managerial resume to equal the Catalan player's achievement. The Frenchman winning his title at Hampden Park against Bayer Leverkusen in 2002 and Guardiola winning his at Wembley when Johan Cruyff was his Barcelona manager a decade earlier. Also in that Barca team was Txiki Beguiristain, Director of Football at Manchester City, and the man credited with turning Pep's head towards the Blue side of the city, rather than Old Trafford. 

For Zidane the task is probably the least complicated as his job is already on the line on a weekly basis - according to the Madrid sports dailies. Much as it was after the defeat in the Volkswagen Arena in Wolfsburg in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final. With only a mild relief on offer when Real Madrid surprisingly won the Clasico in Camp Nou to edge closer to a chance at La Liga. Faced with that pressure Zidane will have no favoured options given his managerial career was launched prematurely with the firing of Benitez in January.

On Friday in Nyon all these possible encounters will be decided with the likelihood being that City and Bayern will meet. It’s newspaper headline waiting to happen.

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No Blancs for Zlatan at Etihad

Zlatan

Laurent Blanc has warned Manchester City that Zlatan Ibrahimovic is determined to end their Champions League campaign at the Etihad Stadium.

Ibrahimovic is the chief obstacle standing in City’s way as they attempt to reach the Champions League semi-finals at the expense of Paris Saint-Germain.

The Sweden striker had a mixed night in the first leg of their quarter-final in France last week, scoring and hitting the bar but also missing a penalty and spurning another good chance in the 2-2 draw.

Ibrahimovic, 34, has had a fine season, scoring 30 goals in Ligue 1 for the runaway champions. He is out of contract at the end of the season and has been linked with a move to England, most recently with City’s rivals Manchester United.

Blanc expects him to be at his sharpest at the Etihad Stadium. He said: “We’re always a bit surprised when Zlatan misses a chance but when you’re a top goalscorer like him, you can miss a couple. Unfortunately for us he missed them in that game. He still scored, though, and he’s someone who is extremely demanding of himself.

“He wants to show something else tomorrow [Tuesday], he wants to be more clinical in front of goal. If we create as many chances as the first leg, I think his conversion rate will be a lot higher.”

PSG showed plenty of attacking impetus at the Parc des Princes as they recovered from a goal down to take the lead and, when Ibrahimovic hit the woodwork, it seemed they would win convincingly.

But both sides were prone to errors and Fernandinho pounced on one from PSG to equalise and keep the tie alive.

Blanc, who could have the midfielder Marco Verratti back after almost eight weeks out with a groin injury, knows improvements are necessary. He said: “We’ve analysed the first game and looked at the errors we made. There was too wide a gap between players, we were not compact enough and opened too much space for City.

“When you think of the players they’ve got, particularly going forward, they can create problems for a lot of teams, not just us. We need to perform at the highest possible level, a higher level than the first game.

“PSG are capable of qualifying but we know how difficult it will be. I would still like us to create as many chances as we created last week because I am pretty sure we would score a fair few more.”

Also hoping to make an impression will be Ángel Di María, on his first return to Manchester since his unhappy spell at United last season. United signed the former Real Madrid winger for a club-record £59.7m in 2014 but he was allowed to leave to join PSG last summer.

Blanc said: “I don’t think Ángel has anything to prove. He’s going to be under pressure, like we all will. He joined us to bring his experience in the competition – he has won the Champions League.”

Di María himself hopes PSG can get back to their best. The Argentinian told the club’s website, www.psg.fr: “We need to play the way we know how – control the ball, attack and take the chances that come our way. That’s how we’ve won our matches up until this point. It’s our style.”

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Paris Saint German v Manchester City - Preview

PSG meet Manchester City

Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart is fit to play against Paris St-Germain in Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final first leg.

England international Hart, 28, has been out since injuring a calf in the 1-0 Premier League defeat by Manchester United on 20 March.

He took part in training on Tuesday before travelling to Paris.

"Hart has had medical and physical tests and has no problems to play," said manager Manuel Pellegrini.

City are in the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time and face a team that has reached this stage of the competition in four successive seasons.

Pellegrini is not planning to take a cautious approach.

"We are not coming to Paris to draw 0-0. We'll play our usual way," he added. "Both teams have a chance to continue to the next stage and that chance is 50-50 for each team."

PSG boss Laurent Blanc does not believe his side are favourites to progress to the last four, but says City are "behind" the French champions in Europe.

"Manchester City had the same project a bit before Paris St-Germain," said the former Manchester United defender.

"They managed to win their domestic league, which is not an easy task, and some other titles, but maybe in Europe maybe they're a bit behind us."

Blanc suggested the Premier League's intensity has hampered the ability of English sides to pose a stronger challenge for European trophies.

Only Manchester United (2011) and Chelsea (2012 and 2014) have reached the semi-finals of the Champions League since 2010.

"Maybe England is more competitive but I don't see many English teams in the semi-finals of the European competitions over the last five or six years," said Blanc.

"Maybe they have reached a further level in terms of fatigue. You need to find a right balance. There are problems in every domestic league."

City midfielder Yaya Toure will miss the game with a heel injury, while forward Raheem Sterling is sidelined by a groin problem.

PSG's former Manchester United forward Angel di Maria is available after being rested for Saturday's 4-1 win over Nice.

Laurent Blanc

I have excellent memories of Manchester from when I was playing for Manchester United. We used to drive by the City training ground on the way to ours, but I think it's no longer there.

The city itself has transformed a lot. It used to be very post-industrial, but it has flourished into quite a charming place now. On the sporting front, City are reducing their deficit to United and becoming a great club again – let's not forget they were strong in the 1970s.

They say experience can make the difference in ties such as this and that every detail counts. After the draw, some were relieved and said it was a good one for us as we avoided the two giants, Barcelona and Bayern. I strongly warned my players not to listen to that. Those who say that don't understand anything about football.

We'll be up against a team with quality and quality in depth – their squad overall has much more quality than ours. These will be two difficult and delicate games.

Manuel Pellegrini, City manager

It'll be difficult but I believe we have a chance. Paris are a very good team, with a project similar to Manchester City in a sense, trying to grow year by year. Both teams have an opportunity to push on. I don't think there's a clear favourite in this tie.

It was important this season for us to win our group for the first time, and then we won in the round of 16 for the first time. We will see what happens against Paris.

Joe Hart has worked without any problem for the last few days and we tested him today. There's always a risk when a player returns from injury, but I don't think there's a problem with him playing.

Paris now hold a 25-point lead over second-placed Monaco (the record is 17) and Ibrahimović, on 30 league goals, has twice as many as anyone else in the division this term.

City returned to form and remain in the Premier League's top four after a quick start against a team they had last visited 16 years ago in England's third tier. Fernando opened his goal account for the campaign and, back from injury, Kevin De Bruyne volleyed in his first goal since 26 December.

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