Sobbing Sergio forced to retire
Heart scare ends his career
SergIo agUero sobbed uncontrollably at the nou Camp yesterday as he admitted he had been forced to retire by a heart condition. In front of Manchester City coach Pep guardiola, who had flown in specially for the argentine’s farewell announcement, aguero admitted hearing the news that his career was over aged 33 was hard to take.
But after a video of his greatest goals, and a confirmation that his league-winning strike for Manchester City is one of the moments of his career, he laughed about the way he will want to be remembered.
‘It’s not up to me,’ he said. ‘It will be up to others.’ To much laughter, he added with a cheeky smile: ‘It’s possible I was a crack (great player)’.
guardiola and Barcelona coach Xavi then joined aguero on the stage in front of the pitch which aguero barely had the chance to grace in five months at the club.
asked for the best moments of his career, he spoke first of a famous goal he had scored for Independiente in argentina against racing when he was only 16, and then of helping atletico Madrid secure the europa League against Fulham in 2010.
Then he said: ‘The goal against Queens Park rangers, because it meant I won my first Premier League and City won their first Premier League.’ There was also mention of his last ever goal — for Barcelona against real Madrid.
‘It’s not bad for that to be the last goal,’ he said beaming, now recovered from the first difficult moments when he had to fight back the tears.
‘I’m glad to be here telling the story,’ he said when asked about the relief that his heart problem had no greater immediate consequence than forcing him to go for tests on his heart.
‘When they did the first tests they told me there was a real chance I would not play again. and when they later told me it was definitive, it took a while to take it on board,’ he added.
asked if it made it easier knowing the problem forced him to retire at the end of his career and not at the start, he said: ‘Yes it’s better that way and I’m very happy for the career that I’ve had.’
aguero only played 165 minutes for Barcelona after moving there in the summer from Manchester City. He had to come off before half-time in a game against alaves at the end of october with chest discomfort and was later diagnosed with heart arrhythmia.
Tributes for aguero came from far and wide on social media. Fellow argentina star Lionel Messi said: ‘It hurts to see you have to stop doing what you love.’
City-mad former oasis lead singer Liam gallagher tweeted: ‘respect to the one and only sergio aguero. relax and put your feet up rKId untouchable’.