Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has praised forward Sergio Aguero despite the Argentine missing two penalties against Steaua Bucharest on Tuesday.

Having seen his first penalty saved the Argentine stepped up a second time only to see his effort strike the top end of the bar.

Nevertheless, the striker bounced back from the setback and duly recorded a hat-trick in the tie as City cruised to a comfortable 5-0 victory in their first leg of the Champions League qualifier.

‘The fact he missed the penalties is part of the game but it was important that Sergio stayed focused and didn’t get down,’ Guardiola told the media, reports The Telegraph.

‘He focused on his game and after he scored three goals. It’s not important how many times you fall down, it’s how many times you stand up and try again,’ the manager added.

Guardiola said he would retain confidence in his striker’s spot kicks so long as Aguero himself felt up to the task.

‘I’m confident if he’s confident. It depends on the players. If he’s confident, for me it’s not a problem,’ the manager concluded.

Aguero was instrumental for City last season as he netted 24 goals from 30 appearances in the Premier League.