Search icon

Football

12th Nov 2021

Sergio Aguero ‘warned he may have to retire’ over arrhythmia heart problem

Wayne Farry

Aguero was forced to leave the pitch in a recent match after struggling to breathe

The arrhythmia heart problem which forced Sergio Aguero off the pitch during a recent match for Barcelona may be more complicated than initially thought, according to reports by a Catalan radio station.

Aguero left the pitch 40 minutes into his Barcelona debut against Alaves after struggling to breathe and experiencing chest pains on the pitch. He was quickly back on his feet and was able to exit the pitch himself, before spending two days in hospital.

Initially, the 33-year-old striker had been told that the incident would mean three months of rest, but further tests reportedly suggest that the issue is much more serious than previously considered.

The possibility of retirement is said to have been floated to Aguero, with the condition being deemed incompatible with the physical exertion of professional football.

At the time of the incident, Barcelona said: “The player Kun Agüero has undergone a diagnostic and therapeutic procedure by Dr. Josep Brugada.

“He is out and for the next three months the effectiveness of the treatment will be evaluated to determine his recovery process.”

Aguero himself thanked fans for their support in a message on social media, saying: “Hey Culers! Sending you all a big hug! Thank you for all the messages of support. Now it’s time to recover and wait for more news. Sending you all a big hug.”

Earlier this year, during the European Championships, Danish playmaker Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest during a match against Finland. He was later fitted with a implanted cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), though he is unlikely to play again for his current club, Inter Milan, as Italian football rules prohibit players with ICDs from competing professionally.

The FootballJOE quiz: Were you paying attention? – episode 10