The Premier League champions have missed their last four attempts from the spot but Argentine remains confident he will take his next chance
Sergio Aguero has no fears over scoring a penalty against Real Madrid if he gets the chance, despite Manchester City‘s dreadful run from the spot.
The striker wants to remain City’s penalty taker and has no doubts that he will take his next opportunity despite making it four misses from four attempts for the Premier League champions on Saturday.
The Argentine saw his second-half penalty saved by Kasper Schmeichel in the 1-0 victory over Leicester – his first miss this season.
City are on a terrible run, having missed five of their last seven attempts with Aguero joining Raheem Sterling, Gabriel Jesus (twice) and Ilkay Gundogan to have failed from the spot.
But the 31-year-old immediately told friends after the win at Leicester that he has no intention of relinquishing penalty duties and remains confident that he will score his next opportunity.
City boss Pep Guardiola says that the players will decide who will take penalties and the next attempt must be taken with conviction.
“It’s not normal for the quality we have, but like I said to them the next one we’re going to score and the taker [must] be convinced, practice and be convinced and do it,” he said after the King Power victory.
“Next time we’re going to score and maybe it will be when we need it the most.”
Guardiola has said that Ederson is the best penalty taker in the squad but won’t allow the goalkeeper to take them, while Kevin De Bruyne, who has not taken a spot-kick since missing in October 2016, is another possibility.
“[De Bruyne] is one option, but in the end they decide,” Guardiola added. “I like it when players gave the initiative to do it.
“We didn’t score against Spurs in the Champions League last season, this season against Spurs we miss a penalty; in these kind of games it’s a big difference.
“I like the mentality, I like Sergio taking the ball and wanting to take it. Practice, be positive, one idea, shoot and score a goal.”
Aguero missed from the spot at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the Champions League quarter-final first leg last season and it proved decisive with Spurs winning the tie on the away goals’ rule.
He has a poor record in the knockout stages of the Champions League, having scored one from four opportunities – in last season’s 7-0 victory over Schalke. As well as against Spurs, he has missed in knockout ties against Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.
But the striker will step up again if City get a chance in Wednesday’s last-16 clash in Madrid.
Aguero, who is the club’s record goalscorer, has scored 40 of his 52 attempts for City including three from four this season.
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