Sergio Aguero may not be fit enough to play any part in the remainder of Manchester City’s Champions Leaguerun this season.
The Argentine striker has been ruled out for the last seven weeks after having knee surgery towards the end of June.
He had hoped to return to the fold to help Pep Guardiola’s men in some way before the end of the extended campaign.
But the 32-year-old has apparently told friends his chances of featuring at the European mini-tournament in Portugal are ‘very small’.
City face Lyon in a one-off quarter-final on Saturday after they successfully navigated their way past Real Madridin the last-16.
Guardiola’s squad jetted to Lisbon yesterday without Aguero, who remains in Barcelona.
But the Spanish manager wants to give the striker every chance of returning and so he will be allowed into the club’s bio-secure ‘bubble’ in their Lisbon hotel.
And Guardiola has already told Aguero he would like him to be at the Jose Alvalade Stadium for their clash against Lyon.
He will definitely not play a part in that game and with the final only eight days later, he faces a race against time to be fit for that if City make it.
Aguero has not featured for City since he hobbled out of their 5-0 win over Burnley back on June 22.
Soon after the injury he flew to Barcelona to be checked over by Guardiola’s preferred surgeon, Dr Ramon Cugat.
An operation was undertaken and he has been recovering ever since then.
Aguero is the club’s all-time record goalscorer with 254 goals and he will be missed if City progress in the Champions League.
In the meantime, Gabriel Jesus will continue to fill his void and he has been doing a good job up until now.
The Brazilian netted both goals in the 2-1 win over Real Madrid on Friday night in the last-16 second leg.
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