Maradona death trial: Star's former manager questions conditions of home care

Diego Maradona's former manager has told the trial into the late star's death that the footballer would never have accepted staying in the house where he was placed under home care before his death in 2020.

Lawyer Matías Morla, one of the people seen as closest to the former footballer in his later years, testified that had Maradona been in good health, he "wouldn't have spent even 30 seconds" inside the house in the Buenos Aires suburb of Tigre where he was recovering from brain surgery.

Maradona remained there until he died from pulmonary oedema and cardiorespiratory arrest on November 25, 2020.

The trial, taking place in San Isidro, is examining both the appropriateness of the decision to place Maradona under home care and the conditions in which that care was provided. It is also assessing the responsibility of the medical team tasked with looking after him.

Like previous witnesses, Morla said the room where Maradona was staying "had been set up in a very makeshift way" and that there was "no medical equipment or ambulance" at the property to deal with an emergency.

While Maradona was alive, Morla managed his business affairs and hired staff to assist the former footballer. However, he insisted he played no role in the decision to place him under home care.

"We all trusted Swiss Medical. I'm not a doctor," he told the court, referring to the private healthcare provider.

Morla was also one of the few witnesses to speak favourably about neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, Maradona's personal physician and the main defendant in the case.

"Diego loved Luque. He had enormous trust in him," Morla said.

Morla's appearance had attracted particular attention because of his ongoing legal dispute with Maradona's children in a separate case concerning the commercial exploitation of the 'Diego Maradona' brand.

In that case, Morla, two of Maradona's sisters and three other people will stand trial on charges of fraudulent administration.

Earlier on Thursday, Maradona's nephew and assistant, Jonathan Espósito, testified. He was among the first to find the former footballer dead in his bed.

"He was swollen, with his tongue sticking out and his body was cold," Espósito recalled.

Luque and six other healthcare professionals are charged with homicide with possible intent, a legal classification meaning prosecutors allege they were aware that their actions or omissions could lead to the former footballer's death. All have pleaded not guilty.

The defendants – nurses, doctors and a psychologist – face up to 25 years in prison if convicted. An eighth defendant, a nurse, will be tried separately.

– TIMES/AFP