Conflicting reports are coming out of FC Barcelona this weekend, with manager Xavi Hernandez speaking up about claims that Sergio Aguero has been forced into retirement. The newly-appointed manager said the reports are not true, and that doctors are still evaluating the player.

It may be remembered that the Argentine forward suffered discomfort on his chest in Barcelona's match against Alaves on October 20. The club later confirmed that he suffered a cardiac arrhythmia and will be sidelined for at least three months.

It has been less than 30 days since the incident, which made it a surprise that reports have suddenly emerged that Aguero has been forced to put an end to his professional football career on account of the heart issue.

Xavi faced members of the media following the Blaugrana's 1-0 victory in the Catalan derby against Espanyol on Saturday. Apart from talking about the win in his first match in charge, Xavi also decided to address the reports about Aguero. "About 'Kun' Aguero I don't know anything new, I spoke with him the other day, he was relaxed. What came out is not true. We have to wait and see but we are still hoping he can come back and play football."

It appears as though the midfield legend is entirely convinced that the player has not decided to retire just yet. This is consistent with Aguero's earlier statement confirming that he is working with the club's medical team in order to recover quickly. He also said that he will be evaluated over a span of 90 days.

However, according to Marca, one of the main reasons why news of the alleged retirement gained ground is an interview with former teammate Samir Nasri, who claimed that Aguero texted him about the plan to hang up his boots.

Nasri and Aguero spent a lot of time together as teammates in Manchester City between 2011 and 2017, making it entirely possible that they still maintain a direct line of communication. If what Nasri says is true however, it is unclear why he decided to reveal the news ahead of Aguero himself.

The Argentine forward, who joined Barcelona just this summer, has been silent on social media this weekend, and it remains to be seen what he has to say about the reports.

Sergio Aguero
Thanks for the memories: Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero applauds the crowd before joining FC Barcelona Dave Thompson/POOL
Barcelona FC