Manchester City skipper Vincent Kompany out for at least a month after devastating injury setback

Kompany has already missed four-and-a-half months of the season and there are no guarantees he will return before the end of the campaign

Action Images via Reuters / Jason Cairnduff

Concern: Kompany looks dejected as he walks off

Vincent Kompany is fighting to save his season and his Manchester City career after another devastating injury setback.
City skipper Kompany, who has been plagued by calf problems all season, lasted just five minutes before breaking down with a fresh injury.
Boss Manuel Pellegrini said Kompany will be out for at least a month, meaning the defender will miss Sunday's Manchester derby and both legs of the Champions League quarter-finals.
But with Kompany having already missed four-and-a-half months of the season with three separate calf injuries, there can be no guarantees the 29-year-old will return before the end of the campaign.

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“Unfortunately, Vincent has a muscle injury again in his calf,” said Pellegrini. “It's the same problem he had before.
“We will know more tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, but always with a muscle injury it's a minimum of one month.
“It's difficult for me at this moment to say if he's out for the season, but having a problem in his calf, we're in the middle of March, then it's middle of April, so it's at least three quarters of the rest of the season [Kompany will miss].
“He must be very strong mentally, because it's very difficult to accept, but there's nothing else to do. We must see tomorrow with the scans.”

Reuters / Phil Noble

Woes: Kompany goes down as Hart and Zabalatea look on

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...before the Belgian trudges off injured

Kompany's injury took the gloss off City reaching the Champions League last eight for the first time , with insiders at the club fearing he may never be rid of his ongoing injury woes.
City suffered a double blow with Kompany's central defensive partner Nicolas Otamendi also joining him on the crocked list in the first-half, but Pellegrini said he hoped he would recover “a couple of days” and be fit for the derby.
With the Premier League title slipping away and their top-four hopes now in jeopardy, the loss of Kompany is a huge blow to City, who face a battle to ensure incoming boss Pep Guardiola has Champions League football next season.