Kompany reveals how he defended against European elite

The defender noted that video-analysis is a crucial part of his preparations for games against any opponents. He said: ''The game is evolving massively on the video-analysis side, so we've got virtually everything at our disposal.

''I'll watch the 15-minute clip about the opposition and I'll focus on what those players are used to doing. You already know, for example, that Peter Crouch likes going back post so he can flick it back for a smaller striker who comes in and creates the danger.

''He used to do that with Jermain Defoe. I'm not saying you can always handle it but, if you know it, you have an advantage.

''I love defending and I'm passionate about it. I hate getting beat one-on-one, even in training. Most of my injuries in training were because of that, because I cannot get beaten.''

On Leo Messi:

Kompany noted that keeping composure as the Argentine striker is on the attack is critical. He particularly noted a moment in City's 3-1 win over Barca, where he was the only man between Messi and the goalkeeper.

He said: ''This is the hardest situation. He's coming full pace against you. You're stuck and you know if he passes you, he's gone.''

''But that's a good intervention. In that situation, you take it if you need to. Although, it is one difficult thing to teach. You stick your leg out at the right time and I've been doing it since I was a kid.''

On Luis Suarez:

''Playing against Suarez has alwyas been an interesting battle for me. I've loved many of them and suffered in some as well. Players like Suarez take it as far as they can.

''Of course, he's technically gifted, he's got a nose for goals and he's got strength, which people often don't know about, but he'll play on the edge every single game and he'll try to catch you off guard.

''When you're on the ball and facing your own goal, he's always looking for your blind side and it's really difficult to turn, not knowing where he is.

''He's an aggressive striker who is going to try to nick the ball off you. You can literally see in his eyes that he's looking for you to lose a moment of attention, to make use of that.

''He's always got movements and counter movements in the box and then it's just that winner's mentality, knowing he wants to get on the end of a cross or a pass.''

On Zlatan Ibrahimovic:

''If you play against Zlatan, you know he will make something happen. You have to be extremely careful because he can seem like he's not in the game, then he's the one who scores.''

On Marcus Rashford:

''When you play against someone like Rashford, you know he's extremely confident. He'll attack you and keep attacking you and he won't be fazed by anything.

''No one has enough pace to catch someone like Rashford when he has a head start on you, so it's all about anticipating what could happen.

''You know that he's looking to make a run in your back. So with a little bit of experience, you either physically block him — so he cannot even turn — or you make sure you have enough support before you intervene. Everything's a challenge, right?''