Pep Guardiola hailed Sergio Ageruo as the King of the Premier League jungle ahead of his farewell appearance tomorrow.
Aguero, Manchester City's all-time record scorer with 258 goals, plays his final Premier League game against Everton at the Etihad Stadium.
City's legendary striker has resumed training after suffering a slight injury and will lead the team out tomorrow on his final league appearance if fit enough to start.
Blues boss Guardiola paid predatory striker Aguero the ultimate tribute by likening him to a lion in the way he mauls defenders and leaves them for dead.
“When Sergio’s fit and has continued here in the training sessions and the games, he’s a guy like Romario was in Brazil,” said Guardiola.
“He's a guy who, in five metres, is like a lion in the jungle, making the steps that kill the opponents.
“He has this quality, but the biggest quality is his unique sense of goal. His last goal at Crystal Palace perfectly defined Sergio.
“He needs the first control, two or three steps - wow, so quick - and then the quality to make the goal. He has this quality.
“He will play until he's 35 or 40 and he’ll always score goals. It depends on his physical condition. When he’s good in himself, he can still do whatever he wants.”
Asked if Aguero was fit enough to start against Everton, Guardiola said: “Tomorrow we’ll decide.
“As much as he can play, he will play. He’s been injured, only trained these two days, partial training sessions, so tomorrow we’ll decide.”
Guardiola also said Aguero would have scored even more goals for City had his 10 years at the club not been blighted by a succession of injuries.
“He's a legend in this country, where it's so difficult to score goals, and he's been doing it for many years,” said Guardiola.
“I can't imagine how many, many more he would have scored if he’d been able to be fitter than he was for some periods during all the seasons.
“He was incredibly loved by the backroom staff, because he was an incredibly nice person. The quality of the player, it's not necessary to add anything else to his numbers. His performances when he was fit were incredible.
“I'm pretty sure the 10,000 fans that will be in the stadium will show for the rest of the fans around the world, and will give him his tribute and gratitude for what he’s done for this club in terms of titles, numbers and performances – incredible.”
Guardiola will shuffle his personnel, with the Champions League final against Chelsea a week away, and is unlikely to risk injury to his key players.
“We're going to put players out to win the game,” said Guardiola. “Kyle Walker could not play against Brighton, as he got injured playing with his children – a twist in his ankle.
“But everyone else is fit. Sergio trained yesterday and today. Joao [Cancelo] is suspended for three games but the rest are fit.”
