Richardo Porta: Diego Maradona drove me out of Al Wasl

The 28-year-old returned to Uruguay's Nacional after just three months in the UAE, and blamed the controversial Argentine trainer for his swift departure from the club

6 Feb 2012 17:21:00

By Daniel Edwards

More On :  Al Wasl, Nacional, . ., Richard Porta
Richard Porta - Nacional (90minutos.com.uy)

Nacional striker Richard Porta has criticised Al Wasl boss Diego Maradona, claiming the colourful coach forced him out of the Emirati institution.

28-year-old Porta, who has returned to Uruguay after an unsuccessful loan spell in the Middle East, was signed by Maradona in October 2011 but lasted just three months with the club before being declared surplus to requirements.

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As he prepares for Nacional's domestic and Copa Libertadores campaigns in the coming year, Porta made no attempt to hide his anger at the Argentine legend and at the treatment he received at Al Wasl.

"Maradona told me that the directors made the decision, but when I spoke to them they told me that he no longer wanted me," the forward told Subrayado on Monday.

"Before that he had allowed part of his coaching team to be fired. If you let people close to you be taken away, what authority do you have to ask for a player to stay?"

Porta also criticised the coach's training methods, alleging that there was far too much focus on physique and fitness.

"There was a lot of work done on the physical side, and on the pitch hardly anything. He relied on what us foreigners could already do," the ex-River Plate and Belenenses man revealed.

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