Sergio Agüero will be unavailable for the next three months while the Barcelona striker undergoes “a diagnostic and therapeutic process” following a cardiological evaluation.
The former Manchester City forward was admitted to hospital on Saturday after needing to go off in Barcelona’s 1-1 draw against Alavés in La Liga. In what was his first start at the Camp Nou since arriving on a free transfer in the summer, the striker had to be replaced after 41 minutes having felt dizzy on the pitch.
The Argentinian had breathing difficulties and felt discomfort in his chest but was able to make his own way off the pitch to be replaced by Philippe Coutinho.
A Barça statement read: “Sergio Agüero has been subjected to a diagnostic and therapeutic process by Dr Josep Brugada. He is unavailable for selection and during the next three months the effectiveness of treatment will be evaluated in order to determine his recovery process.”
Agüero has struggled with injury since moving to Catalonia, suffering a strained a tendon in his right calf in August, which kept him out for 10 weeks. His absence will be a further blow to Barcelona, who parted company with their manager, Ronald Koeman, last week after a poor start to the season.
Barcelona travel to face Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday in the Champions League, needing a win to boost their chances of qualifying from a group in which they lie third behind Bayern Munich and Benfica.
A number of experienced players will be missing for the trip to Ukraine. Gerard Piqué picked up a calf injury in the match with Alavés, while Martin Braithwaite and Ousmane Dembélé will also be absent, leaving Memphis Depay and Ansu Fati as the only senior forwards available to Barcelona’s caretaker head coach, Sergi Barjuán.