Sergio Aguero's cardiologist details heart issues that forced early retirement

Sergio Aguero's cardiologist has said a virus could be behind the heart problems that led to the footballer announcing his retirement on Tuesday.

Roberto Peidro, who has treated the Argentine since 2004, also insisted the 33-year-old will be able to lead a "normal life" despite being left with a tiny scar near his heart following a cardiac ablation.

The procedure involves the insertion of a small flexible tube called a catheter which is guided into a patient's heart through a blood vessel by experts using live X-ray images so heat or cold can be used to eliminate the irregular heartbeat Aguero was diagnosed with.

In radio interviews in his native Argentina Peidro, who began to treat the former Man City legend in 2004 when he suffered palpitations while he was still at boyhood club Independiente, said: "He has a very small scar in his heart area which is less than a millimetre which is why it sort of short-circuits and causes those arrhythmias.

"What was done using a catheter was to burn that area where the arrhythmias were coming out.

"We think it's going to work very well and solve the problem but our advice is that he shouldn't do high-performance sport that involves an important degree of mental and physical stress several hours a day.

"He can do sport and he's going to have a normal life like any normal person. But footballers live a different type of life."

Referring to the striker's 2004 problem, he added: "We burnt that arrhythmia but this one is completely unrelated and much less benign."

Insisting he was speaking with Aguero's permission, the heart specialist rubbished social media rumours Covid - which the dad-of-one tested positive for in January - or the coronavirus vaccine was the cause of his problems.

But he added: "The most common scenario is that the small scar found is produced by a virus he's suffered at some point in his life and wasn't ever detected.

"But it has nothing to do with Covid or the Covid vaccine.

"I spoke with no-one before Sergio's retirement announcement because this formed part of my duty of professional secrecy, but he allowed me to speak to the media and explain things.

"It was a shared decision for him to quit professional football. He was very anxious and when I saw the test results the first thing I said was: 'If you were my son, I would advise you to go this way.

"He took it on board and then Josep Brugada, the Barcelona-based cardiologist in charge of his treatment, also spoke with him and his mum.

"We thought it best he stop playing professional football and it's probably the wisest decision. He could probably carry on playing and the arrhythmias might never occur again, but we can't be sure.

"In the face of the slightest doubt we said we would rest easier if he quit and he saw it like that as well."

Aguero's heart problem was detected after he was substituted with chest pains in his last match on October 30 against Alaves and taken to hospital.

He broke down in tears as he announced his retirement on Tuesday at a press conference in Barcelona, the club he signed for at the start of the season following a record-breaking decade at Man City.

His former manager Pep Guardiola flew to Barcelona to watch him make the emotional announcement at the Camp Nou.

The retiring footballer was accompanied by his girlfriend Sofia Calzetti.

She wrote in a social media message alongside a photo of her holding his hand: "A stage that ends and a beautiful life that begins.

"It's magical that you've been able to dedicate so many years to what you like.

"Another moment accompanying you and holding your hand stronger than ever. I love you."

Aguero's doting mum Adriana Aguero said in an emotional Instagram post after her son's tearful retirement announcement that all she wanted him to do was enjoy life and be happy.

She wrote: "My best gift is your life and that you continue with us, with your son, your siblings and that you enjoy everything you couldn't until now.

"We will always be by your side because if there is something that will never change, it is how much we love you."