Sergio Batista has added another name to Argentina’s squad for the Olympic Football Tournament in August. Or, more specifically, for the friendly against Catalunya in Camp Nou on Saturday. Nicolás Pareja, the young defender for Anderlecht of Belgium, joins up with the rest of the squad, some of whom flew to Barcelona from Buenos Aires on Tuesday. Meanwhile, Diego Maradona’s been attending the premiere of his latest biopic at the Cannes Film Festival, and – when he wasn’t busy with the latest installment of his will-they-won’t-they romance with Brazilian opposite number Pelé – revealed that on Wednesday night he’ll be supporting Manchester United in the Champions League final against Chelsea.
Pareja, the former Argentinos Juniors youngster, gets his first involvement with an Argentine national side, having impressed Batista with his performances this season as Anderlecht finished runners-up to Standard Liege in this season’s Belgian championship. He’ll travel to Barcelona from Brussels on Wednesday, and when he arrives he’ll meet up with Batista and a few of the players who’ve already met in the Catalán capital: Mauro Zárate; Emiliano Insúa; Diego Valeri; Sebastián Leto and Cristián Ansaldi travelled from Buenos Aires on Tuesday.
The Cannes Film Festival has seen no end of stars down the years, but for all the hell-raising of many of the actors who’ve made appearances there, it can surely have seen few more outspoken figures than Diego Maradona, who arrived for the presentation of a new documentary about his life by Serbian filmmaker Emir Kusturica. El Diez seemed calm at first, and then someone asked what he thought about Brazilian great Pelé’s latest declarations. Pelé, for those who weren’t aware, recently told the press that, in his opinion, Maradona should hand back all the medals he won whilst living under the shadow of drug addiction.
Never mind that most would agree those titles and individual awards were won by Maradona in spite of, rather than because of, his addiction to cocaine. Maradona’s response was forceful: ‘Pelé lacks dignity if he’s speaking about me [in that way]. I’m sorry for him. If I hadn’t done the [good] things I did in my life, I wouldn’t even have reached second place… When Pelé talks, he talks for his business interests. I don’t believe people’s affection is something to be negotiated, and he’s already lost it. He should be in contact more with today’s footballers, and not with [FIFA President] Joseph Blatter or [former FIFA President] Joao Havelange.’
The subject then switched to happier things. Ronaldinho’s current strife at Barcelona, Maradona told the world’s press, didn’t change the fact that he is ‘an excellent person, a very good player who gives everything to the club.’ A few Barcelona fans might dispute that final clause at present. And then, turning his attention to Wednesday night’s UEFA Champions League final in Moscow, the man many consider the greatest player in the game’s history announced he would be supporting Manchester United against English rivals Chelsea, ‘for my friend [and, like Maradona, former Boca Juniors #10 Carlos] Tevez.’
Filed under: Argentine football, Argentine national team, Argentines abroad, Carlos Tevez, Continental football, Diego Maradona, Diego Valeri, Fixtures, Football, Former players, International football, Junior selección, Mauro Zárate, Olympic Football Tournament, Olympic Games, Players, Selección, Sergio Batista | Tagged: Argentina Olympic football squad, Argentine football, Cannes Film Festival, Catalonia Argentina, Maradona, Maradona and Pelé, Pareja
Great comments from Maradona about Pele. Diego can seem off the wall at times (and at times is off the wall), but at other times right on the mark. He nailed Pele perfectly.