Maradona terms tax queries as storm in a tea cup

Maradona promptly laid the blame for the problem at the door of his former club side Napoli, telling Radio Mitre: “The problems with the tax authorities do not concern me but Napoli and (club director) Corrado Ferlaino.”

There is no suggestion that investigators are looking at the club or Ferlaino in their inquiries but Maradona continued: “In my contract it was written in big letters that Napoli had to pay my bill. Let them go and collect (the money) from Ferlaino because he was in charge of the club when I was filling the stadium with 100,000 people.”

It was certainly an unusual welcoming committee for Maradona.

The 40-year-old, who almost singlehandedly inspired Argentina to the 1986 World Cup trophy, arrived on a flight via Madrid from Buenos Aires but around 20 officers were waiting for him and asked him discreetly to accompany them to an office where the papers were served.

Maradona, who only last month was voted alongside Brazilian legend Pele as the greatest footballer in the 20th Century, had to sign a document saying he had been served with the claim and then left, clearly upset by the turn of events.

“It is always the same story when I come back to Italy,” Maradona said, joking: “I have not got the money on me at the moment.

“I am fine and I do want to reassure my mother, my daughters and the people of Argentina. Of course people are trying to make this into a big deal but it is all just a storm in a tea cup.”

After the order had been served a phalanx of police escorted the player — dressed in a green shirt and beige trousers — through a crowd of journalists and cameramen in chaotic scenes and Maradona, accompanied by his manager Guillermo Coppola, then got into a grey van that whisked him away to Rome.

The Argentinian, who last year recovered from severe heart problems, was in Italy to promote a series of commemorative medals for his 40th birthday in a commercial deal and was also scheduled to appear on a popular Italian television programme.

It has also been speculated that Maradona will attend Napoli’s first division game with Verona on Sunday but that is yet to be confirmed as are suggestions he would meet Ferlaino to discuss a possible role with the club he led to two Italian titles.