Manuel Pellegrini is optimistic Sergio Aguero will be fit to return to the Manchester City team in January.
The City manager first feared Aguero, 26, could be ruled out for up to eight weeks after he suffered a knee ligament injury in the 1-0 win over Everton on Dec. 6, which would have kept him sidelined until February.
However, he has now suggested that the Argentina international is making a swift recovery and could be in contention to feature in the return game against Everton on Jan. 10 or the trip to Arsenal eight days later.
Aguero is set to miss Saturday's game against Crystal Palace, as well as the upcoming clashes against West Bromwich Albion, Burnley and Sunderland in the Premier League and Sheffield Wednesday in the FA Cup.
"Sergio has a torn ligament and I think it will be long before that [Champions League] tie [against Barcelona], probably in the first weeks of January, that he will play," said Pellegrini, who was speaking at an awards ceremony in Madrid.
Aguero, who is the top scorer in the Premier League with 14 goals and has hit 19 in all competitions, had struck seven goals in his previous five games before he was hurt in the first few minutes against Everton.
City are without all three of their specialist strikers at the moment with Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic both also out injured.
Pellegrini is wondering whether to use David Silva, Samir Nasri or James Milner in attack against Palace in their absence, while 18-year-old Jose Angel Pozo is also an option.