Maradona’s doctor reveals battle with ‘difficult’ Argentina legend as he pushes to leave hospital

 

Diego Maradona’s personal doctor has revealed the Argentina legend is pushing to leave hospital early – against medical advice – following surgery on his brain.

Maradona had an operation on a subdural haematoma, a blood clot on the brain, after being admitted to a hospital to the north of Buenos Aires on Monday.

But speaking to MARCA about the latest updates regarding the 60-year-old’s condition, personal doctor Leopoldo Luque has revealed he has faced a challenge in convincing the former star to continue his recuperation under his supervision. 

Diego Maradona’s personal doctor has revealed the Argentina legend is pushing to leave hospital early against medical advice

Maradona had an operation on a blood clot on the brain after being admitted to a hospital to the north of Buenos Aires on Monday

‘I think it’s one of the first times that Diego has been told “no”,’ the Spanish outlet reported Luque as saying.

‘I think he needs lots of care – we all know that Diego needs lots of care.

‘I’ve been criticised and Diego’s medical attention has been criticised, but the thing I’ve always wanted most with him is to provide him with the best attention.

‘Diego is very difficult – very difficult. You can’t imagine what Diego is like, but on this occasion we have to try to be stronger than him. [He] keeps insisting [on leaving hospital].’

But personal doctor Leopoldo Luque (pictured) has revealed he has faced a challenge in convincing Maradona to continue his recovery in hospital

Luque’s update came after he revealed on Friday that Maradona was suffering from ‘confusion’ caused by an unexplained ‘abstinence’ that followed his brain surgery.

Luque did not reveal what sort of abstinence he was referring to, but Maradona, the former Barcelona, Napoli and Boca Juniors player, has previously battled addiction to drink and drugs.

Maradona, who won the World Cup with Argentina in 1986 and is now the coach of Gimnasia y Esgrima in his home country, has been admitted to hospital on a few occasions since his retirement.

Luque also revealed on Friday that the 60-year-old was suffering from ‘confusion’ after surgery

He almost died of cocaine-induced heart failure in 2000 and underwent years of rehabilitation.

Maradona had a 2005 gastric bypass operation to lose weight and was once more hospitalised two years later for alcohol-induced hepatitis.

He also fell ill at the last World Cup in Russia, where he was filmed passing out in an executive box when Argentina took on and beat Nigeria in Group D.