Doctors testify Maradona’s surgery was unnecessary before his death

Medical experts testified Thursday that Argentine football legend Diego Maradona should not have undergone brain surgery just two weeks before his death, calling into question the actions of the neurosurgeon who led the procedure.

During the ongoing trial over alleged medical negligence, neurologist Martín Cesarini stated that a CT scan of Maradona’s brain did not indicate an emergency situation. “It was not an emergency for surgery,” Cesarini told the court.

Neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, who performed the operation to remove a hematoma on November 3, 2020, is among seven medical professionals facing charges for their role in Maradona’s treatment and eventual death. The group includes a psychiatrist, psychologist, other doctors, and nurses.

Neurologist Guillermo Pablo Burry also testified that he had advised Luque against surgery, recommending instead that Maradona’s condition be monitored. Despite this, Luque proceeded with the operation after moving the football icon to another clinic.

Another physician, Flavio Tunessi, recalled that Luque was insistent on the surgical approach, saying: “Luque told me that for him it was a surgical procedure and he decided to transfer him.”

The prosecution alleges that the medical team failed to provide adequate care during Maradona’s home hospitalization, which followed his surgery. Maradona died on November 25, 2020, at the age of 60, at his residence near Buenos Aires.

Prosecutors argue that the professionals’ lack of coordination and oversight may have contributed to his death, and have accused them of criminal negligence.

Maradona, considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, famously led Argentina to victory in the 1986 World Cup, leaving behind a complex legacy both on and off the field. The trial has drawn intense public interest in Argentina and around the world.