Pep Guardiola has labelled Vincent Kompany as one of the "biggest legends" that he has ever managed ahead of welcoming the former Manchester City captain back to the Etihad Stadium.
Kompany will return to the blue side of Manchester when his Burnley side take on the Citizens in the FA Cup quarter-finals on Saturday.
The 36-year-old spent 11 hugely-successful years as a Man City player between 2008 and 2019, making a total of 360 appearances across all competitions.
Kompany won a total of 12 trophies with the Citizens, including four Premier League titles, four EFL Cups and two FA Cups, and the former Belgian defender now has a statue of himself outside the Etihad Stadium to recognise his legacy at the club.
Kompany decided to leave his post at Anderlecht to join Burnley in June last year, and his Clarets side currently boast a 13-point lead at the top of the Championship, with just three victories required to secure automatic promotion to the Premier League.
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Guardiola managed Kompany for the final three years of his Man City career, and the Spaniard has heaped praised on the club legend ahead of Saturday's encounter.
"Everybody knows he is an important, incredible figure here," Guardiola said at a press conference on Friday. "He is one of the biggest legends I have had. Personally, I have one regret which is that he was injured a lot of the time when we were together.
"The important thing was how he helped me from day one. I arrived here from another country, didn't know the Premier League, and in the bad moments, his influence on the dressing room always helped the team make steps forward.
"He said to me the things he believe was best for the club. He was an exceptional captain and a top human being."
Guardiola jokingly added: "I'm a little bit concerned because when you start playing games with the other manager on the touchline being a player you had, you realise how old you are becoming."
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The Catalan boss has also talked up Burnley's qualities and improvements since Kompany has taken charge, adding: "It's nice he's back, but over the last two or three days I've been thinking about what they've done this season. What I saw didn't make me totally surprised about the position they're in, being so close to being a Premier League team next year already.
"Seeing what they do more closely, I understand it completely. They will be really, really tough because they do incredible things on the pitch.
"A manager needs time but to be successful with a team, and you need to convince [them] as soon as possible what you believe is the best way to win the games to suit the players perfectly. They have a good team – and the way they play is exceptional."
Kompany has also spoken about his first return to the Etihad ahead of Saturday's contest, with Burnley seeking to cause an upset against the reigning top-flight champions and reach their first FA Cup semi-final since 1973-74.
Oliver Thomas
