Daily Times

MANCHESTER: Pep Guardiola insists his relationship with Sergio Aguero remains strong despite mounting speculation over the Manchester City striker’s future since the arrival of Gabriel Jesus.

Teenage sensation took Aguero’s place in Guardiola’s starting line-up before breaking a bone in his foot, an injury that may rule the Brazilian out for the remainder of the season.

That forced Guardiola to recall Aguero for an FA Cup fifth-round draw at second-tier Huddersfield on Sunday. But it was an uninspired performance by Aguero in the goalless draw and the rapport between forward and manager looked strained.

With just two goals to his name since the end of November, recent events have fuelled the speculation that Aguero, 28, could end his six-year stay with City once the current campaign is over.

But, as Guardiola prepared for the first game of a two-legged tie with Monaco in the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday, the City boss insisted he is handling Aguero no differently to at any time in the past.

“Sergio has enough experience. He knows, everyone knows,” Guardiola told reporters on Monday, “We are going to talk with him like with all of his team-mates. In this level it is so demanding in the Champions League. It is one of the most beautiful competitions to play, maybe not the most important, but the most beautiful and we have to do our best.”

“All of Europe will watch us, to analyse us, to kill us if we don’t win or say how good we are if we do win. That is the huge experience. It is beautiful to me.” And Guardiola has faith in Aguero to rediscover his goal scoring touch.

“The guys who scores goals, it is talent, instinct. How they have to move, create spaces. He does not need to be controlled like a TV remote control. He is going to do it himself.”