Tuesday, December 1, 2020

Lionel Messi's emotional tribute to Maradona

 Barcelona will have to pay a €3,000 (£2,700) fine after Lionel Messi paid tribute to Diego Maradona by celebrating in a Newell's Old Boys shirt on Sunday.


Messi celebrated his powerful strike from outside of the box against Osasuna by taking off Barcelona's blue-and-burgundy strip to reveal the red-and-black of Newell's.

Maradona, who died last week at the age of 60, played for Newell's at the end of his glittering career and Messi wore the same shirt at the start of his, making it a fitting tribute.

Messi also blew a kiss with both hands to the sky as he looked upward.


But the touching tribute was against the rules of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, who are now poised to fine the club for Messi's celebration.

After the game, Messi posted a photo of his tribute alongside an older image of Maradona in the same shirt, adding the message "Farewell, Diego" in Spanish.

'It was a great moment,' said Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman.

'First, for the goal that Leo scored and then for the gesture he had for the death of Diego Maradona. He had surely been thinking of what he would do. For me, it was a great moment in every way.'


In an interview with Argentine television TyC in 2013, Messi said that when he was a young boy he went to the stadium for Maradona's debut for Newell's back in 1993.


Messi had kept his head bowed during the minute of silence before kick-off at the empty Nou Camp for Maradona, who died of a heart attack at age 60. He also played for Barcelona from 1982-84.

Messi's was one of many tributes to Maradona from across the world of football over the weekend.


Napoli used a special fourth kit in honour of their former star during their win over Roma.


The strip, inspired by Argentina's kit, paid homage to Maradona, who led Napoli to two Serie A titles and a UEFA Cup during an illustrious seven-year stay between 1984-1991.

Before the two sides faced off in the aptly named Copa Diego Armando Maradona, both sets of players wore special shirts for a minute's applause around a flag of the 1986 World Cup winner.

After scoring a free-kick the Boca players went over to Maradona's daughter Dalma, who was sat in the stands and applauded her.

Maradona's daughter was overcome with emotion and was shown crying in her father's box at the Bombonera at the gesture.













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