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Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has revealed that striker Sergio Aguero is struggling to come to terms with the death of Diego Maradona.
Maradona, a footballing icon who is widely considered to be the greatest to ever play the game, died on Wednesday aged 60 following a heart attack. His death sparked an outpouring of grief globally, with three days of mourning announced in his native Argentina.
The late Argentine legend had been Aguero’s father-in-law during his marriage to daughter Giannina – mother of the City man’s son Benjamin.
The 32-year-old also played under Maradona during his time as Argentina national team manager.
Aguero came on for City late in the 1-0 Champions League victory at Olympiacos on Wednesday, with the news of Maradona’s death only breaking shortly before kick off.
Speaking ahead of the Citizens’ Premier League encounter with Burnley, Guardiola admitted his striker was finding it ‘tough’.
“Of course it’s difficult for me to talk about his feelings,” he said, as quoted by the Independent.
“I saw him good but the impact on the day of the game against Olympiacos was hard, especially for his son.
“Of course it was tough, that’s normal. He knew Maradona quite well and, for his son, he was his grandfather.
“It is a sad situation, unfortunately, for his family but he’s OK.”
Aguero is currently working his way back from both knee and hamstring injuries, but Guardiola added that he does not want to rush City’s record goalscorer back into action, with both Gabriel Jesus and Ferran Torres performing well as the central striker in his absence.
“He’s going to give us good moments this season,” the Catalan continued.
“He is still not in his best condition but we cannot forget how long his injury was. Then he came back and was injured again.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says key forward Sergio Aguero is not yet at full fitness but still has time to prove he deserves a new contract.pic.twitter.com/g1L0iCQG0I
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) November 27, 2020
“In the middle of the season he is a guy who needs to be so sharp to score goals in the box but we don’t have doubts.
“He needs a little time to get it and, in training and with the minutes, he will. Then he will still have seven months ahead to show it.”
City host Burnley at 3pm on Saturday looking to move out of the bottom half of the Premier League following a tricky start to the season.
