Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany says he misses Mario Balotelli, who left for AC Milan last week.

Already life at Carrington is calmer but Kompany believes the young Italian should not be vilified.

"I will miss him, as a person and a player," he told the Daily Mail. "He was liked here.

"We have a very competitive squad and it's no shame if you don't make it in the starting XI all the time.

"I am glad of the contributions he made at important moments. Don't forget the pass he made to (Sergio) Aguero on the final day last season.

"In the big moments, he was there for us. That, for me, is enough. He played his part.' Signed prior to City's Arab takeover in the summer of 2008, Kompany is proof that high-profile, expensive players do not always get their way."