Vincent Kompany: Manchester City captain out for ‘weeks’ with knee injury

Despite having won just once in their previous six home games Gladbach’s spirited performance at Borussia Park caused City plenty of problems.

The dismissals of Lars Stindl and Fernandinho for second bookable offences early in the second half sucked life out of the game and City ended up playing for the final whistle.

He said: “We have qualified with one game left and it’s a big compliment for the team, for the whole stage”. After eight games in the Champions League being there with top teams like Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham is good – and of course with Manchester United, because United are getting better in their last games so are now a real contender to win the Premier League. It was the Brazilian’s first Champions League goal of the season and a deserved lead for the home side.

Pep Guardiola’s men were in the driving seat when the two sides met at the Etihad Stadium in September, beating the Bundesliga outfit 4-0 with Sergio Aguero netting a hat-trick.

The blues captain clashed with City goalkeeper Claudio Bravo at the weekend during their 2-1 victory against Crystal Palace in the Premier League, and Guardiola says that the player is sad as he heads back to the treatment room.

It is Kompany’s 35th separate injury since joining City in 2008 and it is the third to have hampered him in this campaign alone.

A lean and sharp Toure responded by netting both goals in a 2-1 win. Whatever the form of City, this game was one that looked tricky on paper.

Gladbach lost Guinea winger Ibrahima Traore to injury on 40 minutes, which unsettled their attack.

Kevin De Bruyne insisted Guardiola’s men had been clinical to get the job done after being forced to come from behind.

City’s numerical advantage was canceled when Fernandinho was shown his second yellow for a foul on Raffael in the 63rd.

City were poor in the first half, lacking sharpness and allowing Gladbach to create more chances than their visitors.

Coach Andre Schubert, who still has the backing of club bosses but jeered following Saturday’s 2-1 home loss to Cologne, will be without suspended Christoph Kramer and Julian Korb as well as injured Patrick Herrmann.

The goal they scored in the last tie has been the only time they have managed to score in the last six league games.