ARGENTINA: FOOTBALL/SOCCER - Maradona recovering slowly but fit enough to watch Boca Junior -River Plate classic on hospital television set

Diego Maradona watched the classic Boca-River match from his hospital bed, as soccer fans from both sides of the pitch wished him well. Doctors say the soccer super star is recovering slowly. Argentine soccer great Diego Maradona watched his club Boca Juniors play their arch-rivals River on Sunday (April 15) from his hospital bed. The 46-year-old is recovering slowly in hospital and following a strict diet, but local media reports say he was allowed to watch Boca tie with River 1-1 on a television set in his bedroom. A medical report released on Monday (April 16) by the Buenos Aires clinic where he is being treated said further treatment is being prepared for the star. The ex-captain of the Argentine selection had said he was going to attend the Boca-River match in person but he went back to hospital on Friday, just 48 hours after being released after two weeks of treatment for alcoholic hepatitis. Fans on both sides Argentine soccer have been supporting Maradona's recovery. Outside the clinic there was even a message of support from River. Some loyal Boca fans have taken to painting messages of support for their soccer idol throughout Buenos Aires streets. Gustavo Ordonez usually paints political slogans for candidates during elections, but on Monday (April 16) he was working pro-bono. "He is pretty big now the fatty. He has to rest a bit, be a bit calmer. And just be himself, think in himself. As for the rest, there are a lot of people worried for him. (Journalist saying: Are you worried about him?) Yes because I love him, because he gave us everything and well, my team is Boca," Ordonez said. Ordonez's message was "Fuerza Diego", which is Spanish for "Strength Diego". Doctors have linked Maradona's condition to heavy drinking, but say Maradona has not returned to using cocaine. A team of doctors including psychiatrists, nutritionists and obesity-surgery specialists are helping the soccer star, who had a stomach-stapling operation in 2005 to help him lose weight.

ITN Source | April 18, 2007

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