Known is the history of fights and differences between Mauricio Macri and Diego Maradona. Even weeks before his death almost two years ago, the Argentine star dedicated a strong message to him on his social networks where he responded to the former president, who in an interview had stated that in the 1990s he kicked him out of Boca Juniors, despite the fact that he was the biggest xeneize idol. Now, the exmandatario returned to the charge against El Diez remembering a conversation about his “little problem” with drug addiction.
The criticisms are part of one of the curious passages of So that (Editorial Planeta) that Macri wrote with the help of Pablo Avelluto and that he will present next week at La Rural. The book is structured in two parts, one referring to his kidnapping, his landing in a conglomerate of companies belonging to his father, Franco Macri, and his career in Boca, to which he dedicates about 80 pages.
Macri makes a long review of football successes of the club that he led between 1995 and 2007. But what is striking is that he returns again and again on three beloved characters for the vast majority of Xeneizes fans: Maradona, Juan roman riquelme and the former DT charles bianchi. His criticism of El Diez is far from being a novelty, the star’s criticism of Macri has been more than resounding, first as a soccer leader and then as a man of politics.
But now, Macri plunges into one of the most complex episodes of the private life of Maradonaas was his drug addictionand reveals an alleged conversation that they would have had more than 20 years ago for El Diez to take over as DT xeneize, very shortly after his last official match with the blue and gold shirt.
The “Bambino” Veira had just resigned and the The press began to mention that Maradona could take charge of the team. “The idea began to grow with unusual force. From one day to the next, the Boca universe was revolutionized. Diego met all the conditions for the position. His figure was associated with the club like no other and the Xeneize fans had built a relationship of absolute and unconditional idolatry with him, ”he says. Macri in his book. However, he makes it clear that Maradona “He had very serious personal difficulties with drug use.”
“The media and the football environment had raised a wall silent on the subject. Nobody wanted to talk publicly about Maradona’s addictions”, he complains Macri in another section. According to Macri, held a meeting in which Maradona asked him if he was willing to “go down in history” by taking him as DT. “It was a blow to my ego,” acknowledged Macri, who states: “Hire Maradona In the state I was in, it was a very high-risk decision.”
“Diego – Macri continues in his book – like so many addicts, was deeply irritated when his health was talked about. It was a forbidden subject.” “First we should fix the little problem,” he said. Macri What did he say to the star? That euphemism was not liked by El Diez: “Well, let’s assume that I have a little problem… We call a press conference, you announce that I am Boca’s new coach and I say that I am going to start a treatment to solve the little problem. How about?”.
But Macri did not want Maradona as DT. “A treatment to cure addictions is enormously complex,” says the former president in his book. “No, Diego – he remembered telling her – not like that. First you have to solve the problem. And then, you have my word of honor that the position of technical director will be yours.
Maradona did not like that answer at all, always according to Macri’s version. “His body and face went into total tension. Her eyes seemed about to bulge out of her sockets. It was the same angry look from the fourth goal against Greece in the World Cup in the United States. Diego’s smile It began to transform into an expression of visceral hatred that I never, before or since, saw again.
According to Macri, Maradona jumped from his place in a rage. “You will regret this moment all your life.” “You know what, Mauricio, I’m going to make you dust. I am going to destroy you. Remember what I tell you, “says Macri that El Diez told him.
After the meeting, according to the former president’s version, all ties with Diego were broken. They only spoke again years later, for the tribute match that was played at La Bombonera, in November 2001. “Over time his disputes with me moved to politics and we found ourselves on countless occasions walking opposite paths. My admiration for him as a footballer remains intact.
Nevertheless, Macri ends the Maradona chapter with a very striking phrase: “The passage of time ended up showing me that I had done the right thing. Without Diego we built the solid institution that put the colors blue and gold above all others.”
The version of Maradona, very different
In 2020, Macri had already criticized Maradona in a television interview in which he had stated that he had to make the decision to expel him from Boca.
However, Macri’s versions are far from those of the greatest soccer idol, who after those sayings responded to him on social networks. “You didn’t kick me out anywhere. I was the one who left football to protect the health of my parents. That was my decision and I did no harm to anyone.”
“No matter how many smoke bombs you throw, you know that your decisions screwed up the lives of two generations of Argentines. Take charge, darling. Your father already said it.”
