The Clarets host Brighton on Saturday.
Kompany said: "They are a unique opposition in the sense that, without necessarily being classed as a 'big six' team, they have managed to establish themselves with all the habits of the top team.
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"They force other teams to adapt to them and they have demanded that even from teams above them, and that is exceptional. So it doesn't matter who plays them, you have always got to adapt your game to play against Brighton. It's something pretty special that they have done.
"We were like that in the Championship last year. It took them a while to do that but, within about five or six years, they have demanded that and it's very impressive."