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Wednesday 11 September 2019 20:17, UK
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.
"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."
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."
