Viva Barca
Diego Maradona believes Lionel Messi should have been banned for longer after allegedly insulting a linesman, as he referred to the Barcelona star as a ‘teddy bear’. The legend was surprised that the FIFA appeals committee reduced the four-match ban against the Barcelona star after Messi had served the one-game sanction against Bolivia.
He told Radio La Red: ”It makes absolutely no sense, but Leo deserved (to be sanctioned) for one more match and I say that with my heart in my hand.”
”They reduced the ban for the same reason they always do with star players and veteran players.”
”Messi is not the type of player to insult anyone. I managed him for one year and he is more like a teddy bear than a football player.”
”You have to congratulate all those who made it possible to get Messi’s ban reduced,” Maradona continued.”
”I am happy with the decision, both for Messi and because I am Argentine. We can return to dreaming about the World Cup again.”
Messi will now be available for Argentina’s crucial World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay, Venezuela and Peru. Argentina sit fifth in the conmebol qualification table at present, with only a top-four finish enough to secure automatic qualification for Russia 2018 and avoid an inter-confederation play-off.
