Italian casts doubt on Belgium featuring at Villa Park.
Manchester City head coach Roberto Mancini has admitted that it will be “hard” for key captain Vincent Kompany to make his long-awaited comeback from injury against Aston Villa in the Premier League on Monday.
The influential Belgium international has been missing from City’s line-up since injuring his calf in a 1-0 win at Stoke City on Jan 26, during which time the Premier League champions have won just one top-flight match in his absence.
“Vinnie is getting better. We hope for the next game. We will try for Villa on Monday but it’s difficult,” Mancini said in his pre-match press conference.
“He didn’t train with the team. He was with the physio.
“The calf is a difficult injury because you think [it is] OK at the start and then have a problem.”
Meanwhile, the Italian says he still believes that his team can catch leaders Manchester United, who currently hold a 12-point advantage with only 11 matches of the campaign left to play.
“There are another 11 games so it’s impossible – we do our best from now until the end and after we see what happens.
“Every game is like this. If we lose or don’t win and Manchester United win their next game it will be difficult.
“Last season we won with six games to go. It is possible.”
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