Manuel Pellegrini hopes Sergio Agüero will listen to his body more to try to avoid injury in the future after the Manchester City striker suffered a serious hamstring injury when playing for Argentina.
Agüero tore a hamstring in a World Cup qualifier with Ecuador earlier this month while nursing a problem in the muscle. He will not return until after the next international break, which starts in mid-November.
Pellegrini, asked if he hoped Agüero would in future be more cautious when considering playing for Argentina, said: “I hope that he will do. But it’s not a problem for him to have the decision that he thinks is better for him. I hope in the future we will not have to decide because he will have no more injuries.”
Pellegrini is unsure if Agüero may suffer more muscle problems because of the explosive nature of his game. “It’s so difficult to talk about the kind of injuries, what will happen in the future,” the manager said. “He is making different things [with his fitness regime] to make sure there is no repeat.”
City have 22 points and lead the title race on goal difference from Arsenal. The reigning champions, Chelsea, are 11 points behind yet Pellegrini backed the under-fire José Mourinho to bounce back, despite not always seeing eye-to-eye with the Portuguese.
“All managers have a moment in their career, in their season, a bad moment,” he said. “It’s normal. So I hope, because he’s a very important manager, that he will arrange his team. I think he’s already demonstrated what he can do. He’s the champion of the Premier League this year.
“I always say mathematics show when you can do it and when you can’t. We have enough points to play for – I am sure they will be involved in the title. I am sure they will continue to be a very strong team.” They are not in their best moment but I am sure they will improve.”
