Football
Tom Marshall, Mexico correspondent 5y

Maradona threatens to quit Dorados over penalty row

Argentina legend Diego Maradona was incensed at his Dorados de Sinaloa side not being given a penalty in Friday's 1-1 draw with Venados de Merida and threatened to quit the Mexican club and even football altogether.

Maradona's team needed the three points to guarantee a playoff spot in the Clausura tournament of Mexico's second division, but Venados leveled the score six minutes from full time, meaning Dorados will require a result next Friday against Atletico San Luis to confirm their place in the postseason.

"There was a clear penalty on [Amaury] Escoto," Maradona said in the postgame news conference. "You know why they didn't call it? Because you [the press] would've said [the referee] had called it because it's Maradona's team."

"So I'm doing damage to Dorados and that's why I'm leaving. I'll speak to the president seriously and there's no going back."

The 58-year-old also hinted that he is tired of football in general.

"I'll speak with my wife; that's enough of football, of constant fights," he said. "You behave badly and you are the worst in the world, you behave well and you're [also] the worst in the world. It's unjust because I can't do anything about it."

Maradona said that he hasn't signed a contract with Dorados, but seemed to backtrack on his threat to quit when he suggested he could see out the season.

"I leave sad but tomorrow I'll get to work because the next game is life or death and we want to be in the playoffs," Maradona said.

The former Napoli player added he enjoys living in Culiacan and could continue to live there if he finds a clinic for his young son, who is with Maradona in Mexico and reportedly requires a speech therapist.

Dorados had played in a special shirt that included Argentina's blue and white colors in homage to their manager.

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