Exclusive
REVVED UP
VINCENT KOMPANY says the attack on Manchester City’s team bus turned Liverpool into their biggest rivals.
In April 2018, the coach carrying City’s stars to Anfield was bombarded with bottles, stones and flares.
3
Jurgen Klopp yesterday admitted the “senseless” attack shamed Liverpool and that the club had to take responsibility.
Merseyside Police have assured Pep Guardiola’s men they are doing all they can to ensure no repeat at tomorrow’s title showdown.
Ex-City captain Kompany, writing in his book Treble Triumph with Ian Cheeseman, said: “I was on the coach as it was bricked. That moment things changed. “The rivalry increased and they became our No 1 team to beat. The mood among City fans towards these games against Liverpool had changed.
“They’d always been seen as tough fixtures but now there was more tension.”
The attack on the bus came ahead of a Champions League quarter-final first leg, which City went on to lose 3-0.
Kompany, 33, added: “None of us were sitting on that coach saying they were scared. But it was very unpleasant and should never have been allowed to happen.
“I do think that incident changed the way that a lot of neutrals looked at Liverpool.”
ACCA WITH LADBROKES Pick up a whole load of acca features to help you land the big one
In his new book ‘Treble Triumph’, being serialised in SunSport, Kompany admits things were bubbling up even before that day.
He said: “To give them some credit, they had also become the hardest team to win against. But I could see it becoming a deep rivalry.
“But it changed the way we saw games against them from that moment. It became even more important to us to win our games against Liverpool.
“Other things contributed — penalties not given, offsides that should or shouldn’t have been awarded.
“There was the goal that was ruled out in that second leg, when Leroy Sane’s tap-in should have been allowed.
“Some good rivalries are built on those controversies.”
Klopp yesterday warned Liverpool fans to be on their best behaviour in the run-up to kick-off — with a minority using online posts to try to encourage another bus attack.
Most read in football
He said: “It was a senseless thing. If somebody at City is concerned still, it’s our fault.
“Not that we did it all together, we all didn’t throw the bottle or whatever but it was one of us. That’s why we are responsible.
“All of us have to make sure something like this will never happen again.”
Guardiola said yesterday: “Hopefully it will not happen again. The police knew it and didn’t do anything.”
- ‘Treble Triumph’ Vincent Kompany: My Inside Story of Manchester City’s Greatest Ever Season is written with Ian Cheeseman and published by Simon & Schuster UK Ltd.
3
3
Pep Guardiola praises Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp