Ronald Koeman has debunked rumors of Sergio Aguero leaving Barcelona. The coach calls those reports to the Spanish media after the 3-0 win for the Trofeo Joan Gamper against Juventus to the Spanish media ‘a lie’. However, Aguero’s debut is still a bit off, because he is struggling with a calf injury.
“It is a lie that Aguero wants to leave Barcelona. He has signed with Barcelona and is looking forward to playing. Unfortunately, he was injured and was unable to play. We have to wait until he is fit again, in that respect he has taken a step backwards. He trained along and showed that with his qualities he can contribute a lot to our team.” Sport and marca up from Koeman’s mouth. Reports surfaced after the news of the Barcelona-Lionel Messi split that Aguero wanted to get out of his recent contract, which runs until mid-2023.
Koeman seems to have to be patient with Aguero for a while. He is struggling with a tear in a calf muscle of his right leg. While some medical tests have yet to determine the seriousness of the injury, Spanish media assure that Barcelona’s medical staff are already expecting a three to four week absence. That means he will miss the first three games in LaLiga anyway. RAC1 even reports that Aguero will not be available for Barcelona until November.
“We captured Memphis, it was very effective against Juventus. Of course we have to miss the best player in the world now, but we have to accept that. You can’t live in the past, we have a lot of future with this team,” Koeman refers to the departure of Lionel Messi. “It is very difficult for everyone, but the page has to be turned. We cannot change this situation. Others can also play in his position and take a leadership role.”
Koeman is particularly pleased with Yusuf Demir, who leaves a good impression during the preparation. “If he takes advantage of the opportunities he gets, he can be part of the first team,” said Koeman, who is satisfied with the result against Juventus. “We reached a good level. Neto played very well. We have been able to take the next step. If the boys who played in the Olympics (Pedri and Eric Garcia, ed.) come back, it will only get better. In any case, we are on course for the first league game.”