ABSENT AGUERO NOT A CONCERN, INSISTS CITY BOSS PEP
PORTO v MANCHESTER CITY 8PM, BT SPORT 3
SERGIO AGUERO has not returned to training ahead of Manchester City’s Champions League trip to Porto tonight but manager Pep Guardiola maintains the striker’s problem is not serious.
City’s record goalscorer missed Saturday’s 5-0 Premier League thrashing of Burnley with what was described as a minor ‘disturbance’ in his knee.
The striker had knee surgery in the summer and his comeback this season has already been complicated by a hamstring injury.
He returned as a late substitute in last week’s win over Olympiakos but City do not want to take undue risks with the 32-year-old. He now seems unlikely to be involved tonight when City, who are already qualified for the last 16, face Porto.
Asked about the Argentina international, Guardiola said: ‘I am not concerned. He had a little disturbance in his knee. It is nothing serious but he didn’t train.’
City have won their first four games in the group and securing top spot is all that is riding on the remaining two fixtures.
It could be an opportunity for
Guardiola to rest players as he focuses on the Premier League but he insists he will not rotate his squad for the sake of it.
He said: ‘I am thinking about it. Some players who didn’t play the previous game are going to play.
‘There are a lot of games but I don’t want them to feel this is rotation. Every game is played because the best players, for many circumstances, we believe are focused on a specific game.’