Maradona Death Trial: Psychologist Claims Footballer Wanted Sobriety

San Isidro, Argentina – The ongoing trial surrounding the death of football legend Diego Maradona has seen a pivotal testimony from psychologist Carlos Díaz, one of the accused. After previous attempts to proceed were thwarted by scandal and technical issues, Díaz finally had his say, albeit exclusively answering questions posed by his own defense attorney.

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Everything loss. I thank my patients who trust and know what it is to treat an addict. I had financial loss, emotional loss, because what gives me the most impotence, beyond being here, is that I noticed that he wanted to be sober.

Díaz conveyed a sense of profound loss, both financially and emotionally, stemming from Maradona's passing. He expressed particular anguish over what he perceived as Maradona's genuine desire for sobriety in the days leading up to his death. "Maradona started consuming every day and ended up clean with 23 days without consuming. It breaks my soul," Díaz stated, emphasizing his conviction that recovery was possible.

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The evidence marked that, the toxicological exam marked it. Maradona started consuming every day and ended clean with 23 days without consuming. It breaks my soul. I am convinced that it could be achieved, I continue to be convinced of that and that is what makes me angrier.

Recounting his initial encounter with Maradona just 29 days before his death, facilitated by lawyer Matías Morla, Díaz described the scene of Maradona drinking wine. He drew a stark parallel to his own father, an alcoholic who died months earlier from Parkinson's disease, a condition he linked to addiction. Díaz characterized Maradona as "unstable and unpredictable," echoing sentiments previously shared by Maradona's daughter, Gianinna. The psychologist maintained that his approach, advocating for "zero consumption," was the most effective path to recovery, a path he believes Maradona was on the verge of embracing.

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I met him on Monday, October 26. We go with Morla. Maradona was drinking wine in an armchair. It was the first image that impacted me since he was like my father, an alcoholic, who died a few months earlier from Parkinson's disease, which is derived from addiction. I was happy that (Maradona) had a real desire for change. I explained to him that what really worked was a model of abstinence, zero consumption.