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Vincent Kompany does not think Manchester City deserve to win the Champions League while there are mixed feelings about the competition at the club.

City fans have long-established grievances with UEFA and have whistled the anthem without fail for years, including most recently at the San Siro against Atalanta. Calls from Pep Guardiola for them to stop have been ignored as supporters have taken every opportunity to make their feelings known and the manager has regularly challenged them publicly to show him how much they want to win the tournament.

Writing in new book, Treble Triumph, charting his memories of his final season at the Etihad, the former skipper has acknowledged the many issues that the Blues have with UEFA. The game away at CSKA a few years ago that was played 'behind closed doors' is cited as a "shambles" and Kompany makes clear that he is not a fan of the Financial Fair Play rules "that makes sure that the prescribed order remains".

However, the club legend has admitted that it can take away from the positive energy for the players at the start of an evening if they come out on the pitch and hear boos.

Despite their domestic dominance in recent years, Champions League success has eluded the Blues and a tame semi-final exit in 2016 under Manuel Pellegrini is the furthest they have gone in the competition. As they look to improve on that this year, Kompany's message for supporters is to put the team first.

"I can understand why City fans boo the UEFA anthem but I also think that if we really want to win the Champions League we should start the competition with every positive attitude possible," he said.

"Until as a club and its fans we're sure that we want to win this league more than anyone else we don't deserve it. If we don't really want to win it, then we shouldn't.

"I think most people will agree with me that that's fair. I'm sure that we're ready to put this behind us and deal with it in another way or at another time. I don't quite understand where and when that will happen but I do understand that for City fans it must feel that during the playing of the anthem is the only time and place they can voice their opinions.

"All I will say to them is this: I know what it's like to be a player on the pitch trying to have a positive, energised feeling from the moment you enter the pitch, and I'm not sure that hearing your fans booing the anthem helps with that.

"Everybody needs to be pulling in the same direction. It should be about the team, first and foremost."