• Champions League

Barcelona couldn't lure me from Man City - Kompany

ESPN staff
February 24, 2015
Barca and Man City ready for last 16 rematch

Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany says he would never leave the club to join Barcelona.

Kompany, 28, has helped City to two Premier League titles, an FA Cup and a League Cup since his arrival from Hamburg in 2008 for £6 million.

The centre-back signed a new five-year contract at the Etihad in the summer and now claims there is no other club in world football that can make him as happy as City.

"I don't plan to leave Manchester City," he said. "I can't think of any club where I could have as much influence as I have here.

"I feel a bond with Manchester as a place, and with the fans. I would not even leave to join Barcelona."

Kompany also hit out at comparisons between his reported salary of £200,000 a week and that of Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel, who is said to earn less in a year.

"It's absurd to compare my salary with Michel's, but there are subtleties involved," he added. "Manchester City's matches are screened around the world.

"Thousands of bars live off them, and there are jobs for stewards, youth coaches and so on - football is a vast economy. Millions of kids are inspired by the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Aguero.

"It is true that footballers earn a lot of money. But if you see how much the game brings in, the players have something they can say in their favour."

Vincent Kompany and Manchester City are out for revenge against Lionel Messi's Barcelona © Getty Images
Enlarge
© ESPN Sports Media Ltd
ESPN staff Close

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices