Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has revealed that he decided to leave Vincent Kompany out of the squad to face Barcelona in midweek because the club captain's "head is not ready".
The Belgium international has been plagued by injury problems in recent years, the latest of which has proved to be particularly problematic as he pulled up on his return to action against Swansea City last month.
Kompany was back in action for the final seconds of City's 1-1 draw with Everton last weekend, however, and was a part of the travelling party for the Champions League group-stage clash at Camp Nou on Wednesday night.
Despite seemingly being ready to return, the 30-year-old was not even selected on the Citizens' bench, which led to talk that Guardiola had run out of patience with his prolonged absence.
Guardiola has now explained his decision to leave Kompany out, telling reporters: "What happened in the last two years, I don't know. We are working on that with the doctors. So I thought a few weeks ago: 'Maybe Vincent can come back now. With his personality, maybe he can do that.' But one day after the training session here he said, 'I didn't feel like this'.
"At this moment, his head is not ready - after what happened the last two years to keep him out. Vincent was not perfectly fit in Barcelona. Normally he would be on the bench. But in Barcelona he went to the doctors and said, 'I'm not able to play.'
"I don't want to put a lot of pressure about how many games we want him to play or set big, big targets. So [he should] just try to train good and after a week of training [with] no injuries, we'll play a game, and after that another one. And, after that, we'll see."
City, who went on to lose 4-0 against Barca, return to Premier League action on Sunday with the visit of Southampton to the Etihad Stadium.
Daniel Lewis
