Buenos Aires (AFP)
Diego Maradona, 60, will be operated on Tuesday for a subdural hematoma, a condition located in the head, announced his doctor Leopoldo Luque who spoke of a "routine operation".
"I'm going to operate on him. It's a routine operation. He is lucid," said the doctor during a brief press conference given in front of the clinic in La Plata, 60 km south of the capital, where examinations revealed the hematoma.
Maradona, who celebrated her 60th birthday on Friday, is due to be transferred to the Olivos clinic, a facility in northern Buenos Aires.
Earlier today, Dr Luque had indicated that the 1986 world champion suffered from "anemia" and was "a little dehydrated".
"We must correct this and ensure that his health continues to improve", added the practitioner, stressing that the former N.10 had "had a good night".
Technical director of the local club (Gimnasia y Esgrima La Plata), Maradona had insisted on leading the training on Friday, his birthday, but he did not seem in good shape and was walking with difficulty.
He only stayed a few minutes on the pitch before retiring with the help of his assistants.
The life of the Argentine star has been punctuated by many health problems, some of which are linked to excesses of all kinds that have sometimes made him flirt with death.
In 2000, he had a heart attack following an overdose in the seaside resort of Punta del Este.
He then followed a long cure in Cuba.
In 2004, when he weighed over 100 kg, another heart attack struck him down in Buenos Aires, but he was okay.
He then underwent stomach surgery which had allowed him to lose a lot of weight.
In 2007, excessive alcohol consumption had driven him to the hospital.
Lately, he had to have a prosthesis fitted because of pain in his knees.
© 2020 AFP