Sergio Aguero makes a remarkable return to the field, stepping onto the pitch for Barcelona SC’s friendly to kick off the new season.
It sounds almost unbelievable, but the Argentinian striker will play again after accepting an invitation from Barcelona SC to participate in a fresh edition of The Yellow Night, a celebration that brings a football icon in the Barcelona jersey to life on the field.
Despite lingering questions about his health, the Ecuadorian club will rely on the record scorer for Manchester City, a striker who sits among the Premier League’s all-time top five.
WHEN IS THE YELLOW NIGHT
The club announced on its official channels that Yellow Night 2023 will be held on January 28 at Banco Pichincha Stadium. The opponent for this edition is Orense SC, a team established in 2009 that currently competes in Ecuador’s Serie A.
WHAT IS THE YELLOW NIGHT
Yellow Night is the annual season launch event for Barcelona SC. The tradition began in 1994, with friendlies added starting in 1996.
From 2016 onward, a football legend wears the yellow jersey and the club’s commemorative anniversary number. This year, Aguero will don the number 98.
Legends who have taken part in Yellow Night include:
- Ronaldinho (2016)
- Diego Forlan (2017)
- Kaka (2018)
- Andrea Pirlo (2019)
- Alessandro Del Piero (2020)
- Javier Mascherano (2021)
- Carlos Tevez (2022)
CAN THE KUN PLAY?
On October 30, 2021, during an match against Deportivo Alavés, Aguero suffered severe chest pain and had to be taken to hospital. It was later confirmed that he had a ventricular arrhythmia, which led to his retirement from professional football at the age of 33.
During a live interview with Alfaro Moreno on Twitch, Aguero said he had regular checkups with a cardiologist, felt good, and hoped to participate in Yellow Night. He explained that a chest implant sends health data directly to his doctors, enabling rapid detection if the heart rate rises unexpectedly.
Regarding training, he spoke about his routine during the World Cup in Qatar in 2022, sharing how he uses a monitoring fleece that records activity and is reviewed by doctors. He described how workouts are logged, sent, and reviewed to ensure everything stays stable and safe.