Football
Richard Jolly, ESPN.com writer 8y

Sergio Aguero compared to Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi by Pellegrini

Manuel Pellegrini bracketed Sergio Aguero alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi after the Manchester City striker made Premier League history by scoring five goals in just 20 minutes.

The Argentine recorded the quickest five-goal haul ever in the division as his side beat Newcastle 6-1 on Saturday. It prompted Pellegrini to again declare that the 27-year-old is the third best player on the planet.

"After what we have seen [on Saturday], of course Kun [Aguero] is at that level," Pellegrini told reporters. "I have already said that, after Ronaldo and Messi, he is the best player in the world."

But Pellegrini suggested City must win the Champions League for Aguero to challenge the Real Madrid and Barcelona pair for the individual honours -- though City have never reached the quarterfinals before.

"The important thing -- not only for Kun but as a team -- is that we must continue to improve," he said. "We need to win the Premier League again and to win the Champions League, because Messi and Ronaldo are always involved in that competition and that's very important for a player."

Aguero won the Premier League's Golden Boot last season, when he scored 26 goals, and has struck 115 times in 175 games for City.

"I'm very happy for us that in Kun we have a very important player," Pellegrini added. "He always makes important things [contributions] in competitions.

"Remember, three years ago he decided the title in the last minutes of the season, and last season he was the top scorer in the Premier League. Every year he is improving, every day he becomes a better professional and he is more mature, so I think he will finish his career with some important achievements."

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