Angel Di Maria ‘dream’ return to boyhood club Rosario Central ended after gangs send him a ‘pig’s head with a BULLET in it’ and a ‘death threat against one of his daughters’
- Di Maria and his family received death threats from unknown sources in March
- That happened after the 36-year-old announced he wanted to play for Rosario again
- The region is facing increased violence related to drug trafficking
Angel Di Maria claims drug-related violence and threats against his family have prevented a “dream” return to his boyhood club Rosario Central.
The 36-year-old closed the international chapter of his glittering career after Argentina’s Copa America triumph earlier this month and is set to return to his country after moving to Benfica in 2007 at the age of 19.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United forward wanted to return to Rosario in March, but he has since revealed the tactics he used to dampen that desire.
According to ESPNincluding receiving a pig’s head with a bullet in its forehead, and a package containing a death threat addressed to one of his daughters.
According to local media reports, a car left a sign outside the private estate where the 36-year-old usually stays. The sign was addressed to the Di Maria family and stated that even provincial governor Maximiliano Pullaro could not guarantee their safety if he returned to the city.
Angel Di Maria has spoken openly about the tactics used to stop him from returning to his boyhood club Rosario Central
The 36-year-old revealed that threats had been made against his family, including a death threat against one of his daughters
Di Maria’s parents were reportedly told the attackers would “kill a family member” if he returned
“There was a threat made near my parents that became public, and at the same time there was a threat made at my sister’s house that did not come to light because my sister and brother-in-law were afraid and did not report it,” he told Canal 3.
‘Those months were terrible. Every night we could only cry, because we couldn’t make that dream come true.’
Despite the threats, Di Maria was criticised by Rosario fans after deciding not to return to the club. He addressed those who had criticised him for the call-up, urging empathy.
“Those who don’t understand don’t put themselves in my shoes for a second,” he added. “Because it’s easy to mistreat others on social media without putting yourself in someone else’s shoes.”
Rosario, home to one of the world’s largest agricultural ports, is facing a sharp increase in drug gang violence, as experts say the city is a potential export market for illegal drugs.
Di Maria left his boyhood club in 2007, after playing 36 games for Rosario Central, and then signed for Benfica, where he played 125 games in three years.
He then left Portugal to join Spanish giants Real Madrid, before moving to Manchester United, PSG, Juventus and returning to Benfica.
Argentina captain and Rosario-born Lionel Messi was also threatened in a letter last year after unknown gunmen attacked a supermarket owned by the family of his wife Antonela Roccuzzo.
Lionel Messi and Antonela Roccuzzo were similarly threatened by criminals in March last year
Earlier this year, the Argentine government announced that it would send a bill to Congress to allow the armed forces to intervene in internal security operations to combat drug trafficking and crime in Rosario.
Di Maria is currently a free agent following the expiry of his Benfica contract and could return to the club, with reports suggesting the midfielder has reached an agreement to extend his stay.
