Pep Guardiola has backed Manchester City legend Vincent Kompany to succeed him as manager ahead of the club’s FA Cup clash against Burnley.
The ex-Citizens centre-back returns to the Etihad for the first time since leaving in 2019 on Saturday for the Clarets’ quarter-final tie.
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Kompany and Guardiola won two Premier League titles together at the Etihad
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Guardiola has tipped Kompany to return to City as manager in the future
Kompany has earned rave reviews since taking charge of the Turf Moor outfit following their relegation to the Championship last year.
Burnley look set to seal an instant return to the Premier League as they currently sit 13 points clear of second-placed Sheffield United.
The Lancashire side have lost just two out of their 37 league games, as they boast the best attack and defence in the English second-tier.
After City and Burnley were drawn against each other in the FA Cup, Guardiola declared that it was ‘written in the stars’ for Kompany to succeed him down the line.
And the Spaniard has doubled down on his claim that the four-time Premier League champion will be in the City dugout, though he failed to state when that could happen.
Asked when he believes Kompany could take over in his pre-match press conference, Guardiola said: “Absolutely I do not know.
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“Maybe he doesn’t agree with me.
“After seeing his teams I am more than convinced that he is going to come back.
“The fact when… I don’t know, but it is going to happen.”
Guardiola then stated how it was a pity that Kompany was used sparingly under his tutelage, with the 36-year-old making just 45 top-flight appearances in their three seasons together.
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Guardiola’s side are still in the hunt to win the treble this season
He remarked: “He’s an incredibly important figure here. He’s one of the biggest legends I had.
“Personally I have one little pity – that sometimes he was sometimes injured for a lot of time when we were together but the important thing was from day one how he helped me.
“I arrived here from another country, I didn’t know the Premier League and he used to make a step forward in the locker room in the bad moments to help the team, and personally to me say the things he believed was best for the club.
“He was an exceptional captain, a top human being, and I’m really pleased.
“On the other side, I’m concerned because when you start to play a game and the opponent on the touchline is a player that you had, you realise how old you are becoming.
“That is a little bit frustrating, but it’s nice to see him. He wants to win, we want to win, and we will take it seriously.”
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