New Delhi:
Belgium centre back and Manchester City skipper Vincent Kompany is set to undergo scans to evaluate the extent of a groin injury that he picked on Saturday night in a 0-0 draw against Euro Champions Portugal in a friendly match ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Russia.
Kompany overstretched while he was challenging Gelson Martins and walked off the pitch without waiting to be substituted early in the second half.
Belgium coach Roberto Martinez, who will name his final 23-man World Cup squad on Monday, said Vincent Kompany has felt discomfort in his groin.
"You don't want to lose players like Vincent," Martinez told a Belgian broadcaster after Saturday's match in Brussels.
"There's the experience ... there's a little bit the knowhow, there's the communication on the pitch. I think that understanding - knowing what's expected in big games and big moments is important so you don't want to lose any of those players," he added.
If Kompany misses the World Cup which begins later this month then it would be the second consecutive major tournament that he will miss after sitting out the 2016 European Championship with a leg injury.
"We feel a little bit disappointed for him because he's been working so well in the camp," Martinez said. "Already his influence in the group is always positive, he always wants to help and he's been working extremely hard," Martinez said.
The Manchester City captain’s career has been overshadowed by injury, and is a core member of the talent-packed Belgium squad, who are considered one of the strongest in the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
Martinez’s team plays Panama, Tunisia and England in Group G in Russia.
