Maradona's Cigar Blamed For Starting Alarm

Sky Sports broadcasters announced during the Chelsea and Manchester United game yesterday afternoon that their morning rituals had been disrupted due to a fire alarm and consequent evacuation at their hotel; one that Chelsea players and staff also used.

It has been suggested by The Daily Mail today that the fire alarm could have been set off due to Argentinean national coach Diego Maradona's cigar smoking!

An eyewitness is quoted by The Sun as saying: "I saw most of Chelsea outside shivering. It wasn't the best preparation for a vital game."

The players, and indeed all occupants at the hotel, were apparently kept out in the cold for up to 40 minutes at around 07:00 GMT.

A fireman also told The Sun that the alarm was set off due to Maradona and his entourage smoking cigars in the hotel bedrooms - an act that is illegal under new UK law - but this has since been refuted by the hotel manager, Steven Miles, who maintains that the former football icon is an innocent party.

Maradona was in Manchester to take a closer look at United striker Carlos Tevez during the club's 3-0 romp over Chelsea but Tevez did not even feature.

Young Blues striker Franco di Santo made a cameo appearance but is unlikely to make the former Napoli star's 'Albicelestes' squad.

Maradona was also in attendance for Liverpool's bore draw with Stoke City, where national captain Javier Mascherano featured.

-- Alan Dawson, Goal.com