Hamburg expect Kompany home today
German Bundesliga side SV Hamburg said they were expecting to have Belgian international Vincent Kompany back with them today following the defender's recall from the Olympics. Belgian media reported yesterday that Kompany, 22, had missed his flight...
German Bundesliga side SV Hamburg said they were expecting to have Belgian international Vincent Kompany back with them today following the defender's recall from the Olympics.
Belgian media reported yesterday that Kompany, 22, had missed his flight back to Germany after forgetting his passport. A Hamburg spokesman confirmed there had been a delay, but said the player had taken a later flight.
"He should have joined us on Tuesday (yesterday) afternoon but instead he will be back in the early hours of Wednesday (today) morning," the spokesman said.
World football's governing body FIFA said yesterday Kompany had been released from Belgium's Olympic football squad after Hamburg had threatened the Belgian FA with court action.
Citing an agreement with the Belgians for Kompany to fly back after the country's first two matches, Hamburg were unhappy over Kompany's refusal to leave the Games on Monday and requested FIFA to take action against the Belgian FA.
"We have been informed that Vincent Kompany will leave China today," a FIFA spokesman said.
Kompany would have missed Belgium's final Group C match today after being sent off in the 1-0 defeat to Brazil.
But Belgium's 2-0 win over the hosts on Sunday means a draw against New Zealand will secure them a quarter-final berth.
Kompany's refusal to return to Germany is the latest club-versus-country row to hit the Games.
On Saturday, Serbia was ordered by Partizan Belgrade to return two of its players for their Champions League tie with Fenerbahce today.
It followed a long-running dispute between Argentina and Barcelona over the participation of Lionel Messi at the Olympics and a similar disagreement between German clubs Werder Bremen and Schalke 04 over Brazilian pair Diego and Rafinha.
All three clubs eventually allowed their players to remain in China, despite a ruling in their favour by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
The clubs had appealed to CAS after FIFA ruled they were obliged to release under-23 players for the Olympics.