Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has admitted to resting club captain Vincent Kompany against Bournemouth for fitness reasons only.
The defender remained on the bench in his side's 5-1 victory over the Cherries, with Pellegrini adding that his player was not yet ready to return despite playing for Belgium on Tuesday.
Belgium manager Marc Wilmots's decision to play Kompany angered the Man City boss after the 29-year-old picked up a calf injury against Juventus on September 15.
"We finished playing with Nicolas Otamendi and Eliaquim Mangala in the last game and they did very well," Pellegrini told BBC Sport.
"He was on the bench because he played for Belgium on Tuesday and couldn't work on Wednesday and Thursday. I think working just one day after one month injured is not enough to play again."
Man City's next game is against Sevilla on Wednesday at the Etihad Stadium in the Champions League.
Giuseppe Labellarte
