SAO PAULO — Spanish club Barcelona will play Argentine giants Boca Juniors in a December tribute match to mark the one year-anniversary of the death of their former player Diego Maradona, the two clubs announced on Monday.
“FC Barcelona and Club Atletico Boca Juniors will play the ‘Maradona Cup’ on Dec. 14, a game to pay tribute to the star Diego Armando Maradona when the first anniversary of his death is remembered,” Barcelona said in a statement.
It'll be Barça @BocaJrsOficial
Barça TV+https://t.co/zMgwPvZ8mp— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 26, 2021
Boca enfrentará al Barcelona por la Copa Maradona, el 14 de diciembre en Arabia Saudita, en lo que será un homenaje de ambos clubes a Diego a poco más de un año del primer aniversario de su fallecimiento. #DiegoEterno♾️
— Boca Juniors (@BocaJrsOficial) October 25, 2021
Boca confirmed they will take part in the game and said it will be played at the Mrsool Park in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Maradona died from a heart attack on Nov. 25, 2020 after battling health issues and undergoing emergency surgery for a subdural haematoma.
The Argentine played for Barca and Boca in a storied career that included trophy wins in both countries. He also famously guided Argentina to their 1986 World Cup triumph in Mexico.
Reaction To Barcelona vs. Boca Juniors In Saudi Arabia
Money
— Alejandro Oláz (@AlejandroOlaz) October 25, 2021
Yea ok if it was to honor his death then they wouldn’t be playing in Saudi Arabia. They getting a bag using Maradona’s name
— tripple #LM7 (@fcbtripple) October 25, 2021
Why is Saudi Arabia though??? ♂️♂️♂️ If they truly wanted to honor his memory it should’ve been played in Argentina
— Fabian Guzman (@fabianguzman95) October 25, 2021
Napoli would make more sense
— Dominic Campbell (@DOMISMONEY) October 25, 2021
The Maradona Cup is a brilliant idea. Marvellous.
But why are they hosting it in Saudi Arabia? It should be played in either Naples or Buenos Aires every year— Football Intelligence Unit (@unit_football) October 25, 2021
(Reporting by Javier Leira, writing by Andrew Downie; Editing by Ken Ferris)