MX23RW : Wednesday, January 8 08:34:46| >> :600:1174677:1174677:

Diego Maradona: 'Lionel Messi has not been given enough help'

Diego Maradona believes that Lionel Messi is being relied on too heavily by his Argentina teammates.

World Cup winner Diego Maradona has claimed that Lionel Messi has not been given enough support from his Argentina teammates at this summer's tournament.

Messi has been named man of the match in each of Argentina's four games on their way to the quarter-finals, but Maradona believes that the Barcelona forward is becoming frustrated at having to do too much work.

"The kid is very lonely out on the pitch," the former Argentina head coach told reporters. "I have a very strong feeling about what is happening and I can only describe it as bitterness, rage, anger.

"The team is only playing at 40% of its potential. It has no change of pace, no movement up front. Unless that alters, we will go out.

"If we don't wake up, we're in trouble, and the danger is that, if the kid doesn't get the help he needs, he will end up being blamed for a catastrophe."

Argentina take on Belgium in Brasilia on Saturday.

ID:163054: cacheID:163054:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:1891:
Written by
Callum Mulvihill
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Argentina's forward and captain Lionel Messi celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the Group F football match between Argentina and Bosnia Hercegovina at the Maracana Stadium in Rio De Janeiro during the 2014 FIFA World Cup on June 15, 20
Read Next:
Zabaleta: 'We are lucky to have Messi'
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool19144147192846
2Arsenal20117239182140
3Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest20124429191040
4Chelsea20106439241536
5Newcastle UnitedNewcastle20105534221235
6Manchester CityMan City2010463627934
7Bournemouth209653023733
8Aston Villa209563032-232
9Fulham207943027330
10Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton2061043029128
11Brentford208393835327
12Tottenham HotspurSpurs20731042301224
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd206592328-523
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham206592439-1523
15Crystal Palace204972128-721
16Everton193881525-1017
17Wolverhampton WanderersWolves2044123145-1416
18Ipswich TownIpswich2037102035-1516
19Leicester CityLeicester2035122344-2114
20Southampton2013161244-326


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!