NAPLES, ITALY – Diego Maradona returned to Italy on Monday in a bid to clear his name in a tax evasion case.
The 1986 World Cup winner with Argentina landed in Rome dressed in black and wearing dark glasses before heading straight to Naples, where he will hold a news conference Tuesday morning.
Maradona’s Italian debts of more than $50 million stem from alleged unpaid taxes during the time he played for Napoli from 1984-91, a period in which he helped the club win its only two Serie A titles.
His lawyer, Angelo Pisani, recently said his client won the dispute. But the collection agency issued a statement earlier this month saying it had not “annulled, declared extinct, nor modified” Maradona’s debts.
Fellow passengers scrambled to get near the star when they recognized him as they disembarked the plane. One particular fan caught Maradona’s eye as he took a photo of him on a camera phone with a Juventus cover.
“When Juventus played against us, they were always scared,” Maradona joked.
Dozens of supporters wearing Napoli colors turned up to greet their hero with songs about him from his playing days. Amid the frenzy, Maradona and Pisani — who met his client at the airport — were ushered by police into an awaiting car and drove off to Naples’ Hotel Royal.
Maradona came out onto the balcony to wave to about 300 chanting fans. When they started singing, “Who doesn’t jump is a Juventus fan,” the 52-year-old Argentine immediately started jumping.
Bale nets late winner
AP
Gareth Bale sent a scorching 25-meter drive into the top corner in the 90th minute on Monday night as Tottenham won 3-2 at West Ham to rise to third in the Premier League.
It was the second goal of the match for Bale, who has 15 in the league and 23 overall this season, and it extended Spurs’ unbeaten league run to 11 games.
Bale scored in the 13th minute, but Andy Carroll equalized from the spot in the 25th and Joe Cole gave West Ham the lead in the 58th with a deft control and finish.
Gylfi Sigurdsson leveled in the 76th from a goal-mouth scramble before Bale struck with time almost up.
Spurs swapped places with Chelsea to sit five points behind Manchester City and 17 back of Manchester United.
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