Pep Guardiola had a confession to make after Manchester City beat Club Brugge 5-1 in 2021.
The Blues were brilliant in Belgium, with Phil Foden leading the way and Cole Palmer scoring his first Champions League goal was declared as one of their best performances in the competition by the manager and saw them take control of their group. As much as Guardiola likes to analyse opponents to work out how to break them down, he had some secret help in the form of the Anderlecht manager.
“I spoke with Vincent Kompany and he gave me some info. He knows Brugge better than me," said Guardiola. “He said be careful in the final third, they have a fast central defender, especially the left one."
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At the time, it added to the reputation of an emerging coach who had gone in at the deep end in 2019 to manage Anderlecht when he could have continued his playing career at the Etihad. Kompany's spell at Anderlecht was not a resounding success but he did enough to land the Burnley job, where he immediately overhauled a squad that had been relegated to the Championship and ensured a stunning return to the Premier League.
Things did not go to plan for the Clarets on their return to the top flight, only for Kompany's potential to be spotted by a wounded Bayern Munich who had been stung by various rejections in their hunt for a new coach. Six months in at the Allianz Arena and Bayern have qualified ahead of City for the Champions League knockouts.
Guardiola has always been sure of Kompany, saying on a number of occasions that the City legend will take the seat that he currently occupies as a manager at the Etihad. "His destiny to be manager of City is already written in the stars," he said in 2023.
"It’s going to happen. I don’t know when but it’s going to happen."
When he was struggling at Burnley, it looked like that was a long way from becoming reality but he has the opportunity with Bayern to put himself towards the front of the queue. Guardiola is under contract until 2027, by which time Kompany could have three Bundesliga titles.
City don't need to look elsewhere in the Champions League on Wednesday, knowing that they simply have to beat Club Brugge to make the play-offs. When the table is finalised though, there will be relief at the Etihad if they have avoided the German giants in the qualifier.
