Vincent Kompany has called on Manchester City fans to help make the second leg against Tottenham a “special night” at the Etihad Stadium.
The Blues skipper is the veteran of some big European nights at the ground, such as the quarter-final win over Paris St Germain three years ago.
And he played in the 2009 win over his old club Hamburg, which many City fans feel is the best atmosphere they have experienced since moving from Maine Road.
City trail Spurs 1-0 from the first leg, but Kompany returned to make his first start for five weeks as they bounced back with a 3-1 win at Crystal Palace on Sunday.
With no away goal, City need to remain tight at the back but preset an attacking threat – and Kompany says the fans can play a big part.
Kevin de Bruyne explains what Man City teammate Raheem Sterling is really like
“Of course we can overcome them, but it will need to be a special night,” he said.
“Wednesday is a night of opportunities. You go into these games knowing you can do something special.
“It’s for these types of nights that you support a team, that you go to the stadium.”
The Blues are still in the hunt for all four major trophies, and Kompany is drawing on all his experience to help keep a young squad focussed.
He reckons that in some ways, the team should perform better at this stage of the season, as everyone has their eyes on the prizes.
“It’s my experience in these moments you just have to distance yourself from all the craziness around having to win, having to win, having to win,” he said.
“You prepare well and trust yourselves. Your team is actually more likely to perform well, because during the season you might be one of the guys who just thinks ‘I’m just gonna let my hair down, sleep a bit less, play Fortnite a bit longer’.
“At this time of year you can just trust everyone to do the right thing and it makes a good team even stronger.”
Kompany indicated at the weekend that his City future is still undecided, with no agreement in place.
Pep Guardiola given huge Man City boost ahead of title run in vs Liverpool FC
But he added that he intends to still be playing beyond the end of his contract in summer.
His strong display against Palace enhanced his case for a new deal with the Blues, and when quizzed about what comes next he said:
“I’ll be playing next season. All the other speculations are not in place at the moment.
“I’m part of the family now so we’ll deal with the situation as a family.
“We might agree or disagree, but it won’t change any relationships between me and the club.
“The one guarantee is that I will be playing and trying to win more trophies.”
Ilkay Gundogan helps Man City disprove his point at Crystal Palace
Man City should be celebrated for refusing to meet expectations
