Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero has hinted he could be involved in Argentina’s Brazil World Cup qualifier against Peru on Tuesday despite not having played for his club since suffering a knee injury on the opening day of the season.
The Barclays Premier League champions expect to be without the frontman until mid-September at the earliest after he fell awkwardly in their opening league game against Southampton on August 19.
Argentina coach Alejandro Sabella nevertheless included Aguero when he announced his squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay and Peru on Friday and Tuesday respectively – a decision labeled by City boss Roberto Mancini as “ridiculous”.
The 24-year-old, suspended for the Paraguay game, has now risked further upsetting his club by suggesting he could even feature against Peru if the knee progresses well over the next few days.
“I’m here until the Peru game,” Aguero was quoted as telling reporters on arrival in his homeland. “The knee still hurts at the moment and it bothers me, but maybe in two or three days the landscape will change.
“Now I’m going to see the doctors of the Argentinian Football Association.”
Mancini accepted Argentina had a right under international rules to summon Aguero – and carry out their own medical assessment if necessary – but claimed it was a ludicrous situation.
Speaking on August 24, soon after the squad was announced, the Italian said: “It is impossible because Sergio needs a minimum of two weeks without training. After two weeks he can start again.
“If in one week if he could be ready to play it is different, but I think he needs another two weeks.
“He can go and fly back quickly. These are the rules and we need to respect them – they are ridiculous rules.”
Aguero was happy to have been called up by Sabella despite the injury.
“It’s always nice to be here with the guys,” the former Atletico Madrid man added. “We knew from the Under-20s that this was a good group, and we must continue in this way.”
PA
