Diego Maradona has been admitted to the hospital following psychological ill health, his personal doctor has confirmed. The former soccer star celebrated his 60th birthday just days before entering the Ipensa clinic in La Plata, located just outside of Buenos Aires.
According to ESPN , via Google Translate, the Argentinian coach received a medical checkup in La Plata, and his entry to the hospital is not currently considered an emergency.
Following Maradona’s admission to Ipensa, Sky News reported that Dr. Leopoldo Luque confirmed the 60-year-old is working through a psychological problem that has subsequently affected his physical condition.
“He is not well psychologically and that has an impact on his physical wellbeing. My idea is to have him hydrated for three days, see the evolution and adjust the medication. Diego is a person who is sometimes excellent and sometimes not so much. He could be 10,000 times better, and bringing him here helps him. It’s very difficult being Maradona,” Dr. Luque said.
Maradona is the current manager of Gimnasia, a first division side in Argentina. The 60-year-old coach was presented with a plaque and a cake to celebrate his birthday prior to his team’s match against Patronato on Friday, October 30.
Maradona left the match before the end of the first half, and he was helped out of the stadium after having difficulty moving, initially raising questions about his health.
However, Dr. Luque explained that the coach has his own private room at the Ipensa Clinic.
“There is no Covid or ACV. There is nothing else. The rest are speculations.”
Maradona will remain at the clinic but can leave at any time.
Maradona is considered high risk for COVID-19 and initially missed Gimnasia’s early season training to avoid possibly contracting the virus.
The former Barcelona player has suffered many health issues in recent years and was admitted to the hospital in January 2019 with internal bleeding of the stomach. In 2018, he was filmed passing out in an executive box during a World Cup fixture between Argentina and Nigeria.
Since retiring in 1997, the former Napoli star has also struggled with serious respiratory and heart problems following years of drug and alcohol addiction. He also had two gastric bypass operations to control his weight.
Maradona is well remembered for his actions both on and off the field. The Inquisitr previously highlighted expert comparisons between Maradona and his compatriot, Lionel Messi, leading to many backing the former as the better of the two players.