Manchester City is officially into the quarterfinals of Champions League play after they defeated Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday in the Round of 16. However, it took just 23 minutes for City's season outlook to get complicated. While the team is happy to be into the next round, they are preparing to be without one of their best players, as Vincent Kompany is lost to injury.
Within the first 23 minutes of Manchester City's match on Tuesday, the team lost both of their starting centre-backs in Kompany and Nicolas Otamendi. Kompany's injury appears to be the more serious of the two. The centre-back suffered a calf injury that is expected to keep him out of play for at least a month. That means he could miss the remainder of the Premier League season while his future with the club is in jeopardy.
"Vincent has again a muscle injury in his calf, the same problem he has had before," manager Manuel Pellegrini said. "Vincent must be very strong mentally. It's very difficult to accept but he has nothing else to do."
This is the 29-year-old defender's fourth calf injury this season while being his 14th since joining the club in 2008. Losing him is a huge hit to the season outlook simply because of what he brings to the pitch when he is healthy. With Kompany out, City must hope that Otamendi can make a quick recovery as the team prepares for their clash with Manchester United.
Otamendi suffered a right leg injury at the start of the match, but reports say that the issue is not that serious and he could return for Sunday's derby match. Otamendi and Kompany have formed a top backline for City this season. Manchester needs at least one of the two back quickly. They do not want to be forced to play someone like Tosin Adarabioyo or Cameron Humphreys, who have had minimal time with the club.
"It's very similar to a dead leg injury I have had before -- I will have a test tomorrow [Wednesday]. The blow wasn't that serious but it was better not to continue and to come off," Otamendi said. "The test tomorrow I hope it shows nothing and am hopeful I can be there on Sunday. That is a derby and I will have to be 100 percent and try to win the Premier League game. It's a derby we want to win."
Regardless of injuries, Manchester City is now one of the best eight teams in Europe, as they await the next draw for the quarterfinals of the Champions League. Depending on the outcome of Wednesday's matches, City stands a chance to get paired with Barcelona, a team that has knocked them out of the tournament before. Pellegrini wants to avoid facing Barcelona at all costs when the draw happens.
"The last two seasons we were very unlucky to have the draw in the round of 16," Pellegrini said. "It was an important achievement also to arrive in the round of 16 because before we couldn't do it. We were unlucky to play against Barcelona. This season we won the group and now we are in the best eight teams in Europe. Now we will see so far how we can go in this competition."