Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini feels it is almost impossible to tone down captain Vincent Kompany’s game to prevent him suffering injuries.
– VIDEO: Mourinho – Chelsea win very important
– #360win: A trip to watch Bayern vs Dortmund
– RATE, SHARE & WIN: ValoraFutbol Fan Ratings
City’s inspirational skipper will miss the Premier League leaders’ clash with West Ham this evening after suffering a calf injury in the midweek Champions League loss to Juventus.
It is the latest in a long line of leg muscle injuries to have sidelined the Belgium defender during his City career. The continuing trend is a concern but Pellegrini says it would go against the 29-year-old’s nature to curb the way he plays.
Pellegrini said: “It’s difficult. When you have that temperament, it is not easy for him. He has his characteristics and it is not easy for him to change.
“He tries sometimes not to have always 100 per cent intensity, but you cannot change him. Vincent plays with 100 per cent intensity, not just every game but every training session. He is not used to working the whole week, during the season, just to avoid injury.”
Pellegrini does not want to draw too many comparisons with past injuries – Kompany had spells out with calf, hamstring and groin problems last season – and hopes he may just have been unlucky this time.
He added: “It’s not always the same calf. It’s not always the same problem. I think the way to try to have less injuries is to work better and he’s doing very well this season.
“I don’t think this is a serious injury, just a precaution as he’s not feeling 100 per cent to play again. I am sure he is improving and he will not have so many injuries as the past two seasons. I’m not worried about it and I think he will have a decent season.”
Man City injury news: Vincent Kompany is out of the West Ham game, along with Samir Nasri, Pablo Zabaleta, Gael Clichy and Fabian Delph.
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) September 18, 2015
Pellegrini is set to turn to big money signing Nicolas Otamendi to fill the void left by Kompany. It will be the first time this season Pellegrini has changed a back four that has so far been near faultless, keeping a clean sheet in each of their opening five Premier League games.
Otamendi, a £32 million (Dh183m) buy from Valencia in the closing days of the summer transfer window, seems the most likely player to step in having come off the bench to replace the influential Kompany against Juve.
Pellegrini said: “I think it is important to carry on playing with the same names but I always say we have a squad.
“It is important for Nicolas Otamendi to have his opportunity to demonstrate why he is here and Martin Demichelis to return to his performance of last season.
“We have a squad and we need to replace the captain. Otamendi is experienced and I hope he will have a good performance.”
