It was a welcome fit for a king. Diego Maradona returned to Newell’s Old Boys on Tuesday, where he led current side Gimnasia to a shock 4-0 victory at the Estadio Marcelo Bielsa. The Argentine, who turned 59 the following day, played only a few times for Old Boys, way back in 1993, but he was serenaded both outside the stadium and in – including hours before the match, at his hotel in Rosario. When he arrived at the ground, Maradona was presented on the touchline with a special chair, which he dutifully signed. He then nestled into his “throne” to watch his team, who were rooted to the bottom of the Argentine first division, record a memorable victory. With it, Gimnasia moved up one spot in the table. Television fans got a ringside view, too: to the World Cup winner himself, through a live “Diego Cam” that throughout the match streamed footage of the former forward. Imagine the celebrations for his actual birthday on Wednesday …
