Kolkata: Argentine soccer legend Diego Armando Maradona’s visit to Kolkata is delayed by another few days. According to the organisers Mardaona will not be able to come to Kolkata on October 02 as scheduled, due to his sudden football obligation in the United Arab Emirates. The World Cup winning Argentina captain will have to be in the UAE for the Copa Presidente Tournament (which is also the King’s Cup in UAE) where his team Al Fujairah will participate. Maradona is the coach of Al Fujairah. He has been instructed by King Sulaman to be present for the tournament. Maradona, himself is also personally apologetic for this unforeseen contingency and has apologised to his fans in Kolkata, through his Facebook post and email.
Incidentally, the tournament was scheduled to take place in the second last week of October. But due to the change in dates, Maradona will now arrive in the City of Joy on October 08 and will stay in the city till October 10 to fulfill all his commitments in Kolkata. Accordingly, the organisers are rescheduling his visit to the city.
This is not the first time that the schedule of Maradona’s visit had to be changed. Maradona’s visit was originally scheduled on September 19 (during Mahalaya) before being postponed to October 2 and then deferred till October 8.
If the trip finally materialises, it would coincide with the commencement of U-17 FIFA World Cup in Kolkata on October 8, when Chile face England and Iraq take on Mexico in two group F matches.
Maradona was to kick off a football conclave in Kolkata on October 3, with a galaxy of Indian celebrities before locking horns with cricket icon Sourav Ganguly in a much-hyped ‘Match for Unity’ in Barasat on October 5.