Manchester // Vincent Kompany cast his thoughts back over eight years as a Manchester City player, over a voyage into the unknown with ambitious new owners, a first trophy for 35 years and a first league title for 44 and considered the prospect of an inaugural Uefa Champions League semi-final.
“Everything that has come for this club has been new,” he said.
The novelty factor extends to the prize on offer in their tie with Real Madrid on Tuesday. The stakes have never been higher for City, 180 minutes away from a first final. Madrid are accustomed to this stage. City are not.
Confident and eloquent, Kompany showed no signs of nerves. “We are embracing it,” he said. “I don’t think these occasions are stressful. I want this for myself. All the players want this for themselves. If you are not hungry now, you never will be.”
It was a rallying cry from a natural leader. The Belgian was trying to galvanise supporters and colleagues alike, urging teammates to play the game of their lives and fans to create the most intimidating of atmospheres. His compatriot Kevin de Bruyne was City’s match-winner in the quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain and Kompany said: “I hope he plays the best game of his career but we will need it from the whole team. We cannot fail to reach our best level. We play against one of the greatest clubs of all time and our support will be able to make the difference. I have never seen a Manchester City team not turn up when the fans are up for it. They have to be as loud as they have ever been.”
The concept of the fans making the difference is not a new one. They have to compensate for the gulf in pedigree. The full-backs Gael Clichy and Bacary Sagna are likely to be the only City players involved who have experienced a Champions League semi-final.
Madrid are in a record 27th, including six in as many seasons. Many of their players have an annual date at this stage. “For us it is a tremendous honour to be here,” said Kompany. “We are the first to do it.”
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They will be without their lone Champions League winner, the injured Yaya Toure, whose thigh problem may keep him out of next week’s second leg. At least Kompany is fit. One game into his comeback, he pronounced himself at “100 per cent.”
His positivity was reflected in his attitude to his absences. “People talk about 14 injuries to my calf and I talk about 14 times I have come back and play like I have never been away,” he said. “It takes a lot of strength of character to do that.”
Now defensive strength will be required. The bare facts are that City have scored 18 goals in this season’s Champions League. Cristiano Ronaldo has 16 on his own. Kompany had his answer about halting Real’s record scorer prepared.
“You are in a press conference, and you play against Real, you know you are going to get a question about Ronaldo and the answer is always going to be the same: if you play really well as a team you have a chance of stopping him and if not he will probably score a goal,” he said.
They are, however, the right sort of answers. Seven months ago, Kompany had previewed City’s opening Champions League game. Then he was being asked about their European underachievement. With trademark candour, he admitted they could be left feeling unfulfilled in Europe.
No longer. Potential is being realised, aims achieved. “I have been through a very long process with this team,” Kompany said. “We have always progressed every single year and that is one of the things I am most proud of. It is a great chance to measure ourselves against a great club with a lot of tradition. The club will get to the level eventually, hopefully when I am still here.”
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