Sergio Aguero awaiting a scan but is set to miss several games for City after hamstring injury
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has suffered another injury setback after sustaining a hamstring injury while on international duty with Argentina yesterday.
The Argentine forward had recently announced a stunning return to form with five goals as Manchester City overcame a 1-0 deficit to win 6-1 at home to Newcastle United while his manager Manuel Pellegrini admitted that Aguero had been carrying a knock which needed treatment at half time last weekend.
City’s talismanic striker, who had been honoured by taking on injured Lionel Messi’s number 10 shirt, pulled up feeling his left hamstring just 19 minutes into Argentina’s World Cup 2018 qualifying defeat by Ecuador.
En esta jugada, a los 19 minutos del primer tiempo, se lesionó Sergio Agüero. En su lugar entrará Carlos Tevez. http://t.co/zgPB9Ue7zn
— TyC Sports (@TyCSports) October 9, 2015
City’s website reported that Aguero had been chasing a long ball when he pulled up holding his hamstring and was subsequently stretchered off in tears and, according to new City defender Nicolas Otamendi, who had started the game in defence alongside Aguero, was also similarly distressed in the Argentina dressing room.
Otamendi said: “He had been having a great time and was playing well.”
Aguero’s other City team mates Pablo Zabaleta and Martin Demichelis were unused substitutes on the night.
He was replaced by former City team mate Carlos Tevez but there was a further blow for Argentina as they surprisingly lost to Ecuador.
Felipe Caicedo, scored Ecuador’s second goal as they won 2-0 in Buenos Aires with late strikes to compound the Albicelestes’ woes.
Caicedo’s goal was laid on by Manchester United winger Antonio Valencia and the former City striker put the game beyond Argentina by scoring past United and Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero.
Argentina’s manager, Gerardo Martino, said later: “He had been carrying a knock with his club, during the week we took good care of him.
“He was moving around the pitch well, but unfortunately he felt some discomfort and we are going to lose him.
“I haven’t spoken to the doctor but I can confirm the injury is not the same as the one he had been carrying with his club.”
City will have to wait on the result of a scan on Aguero’s injury but he seems set to miss Argentina’s next game against Paraguay on October 13 but medical staff at the Etihad will be concerned that muscular injuries may have returned to plague City’s best striker after changes had been made to his training and dietary regime to minimise them.
Manchester City face a tough run of seven games in 29 days until the next international break including the Manchester derby at Old Trafford on October 25 and two Champions League games against Sevilla.
City’s home tie against Sevilla is on October 21 and without Aguero, Manuel Pellegrini’s striking resources look very thin as Wilfried Bony has only recently returned from injury and Nigerian teenager Kelechi Iheanacho wasn’t included in the Champions League squad due to stricter rules over eligibility.