Maradona likens van Gaal to the devil over his treatment of Falcao
Diego Maradona has likened Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal to the devil over his treatment of Radamel Falcao.
The Colombian, who has been on United's bench for their last five matches, has scored just four goals during a season-long loan deal from Monaco. Van Gaal has the chance to add Falcao to his squad on a permanent basis for $62 million in the summer but Argentina World Cup winner Maradona insists he has not been given a chance to show his worth at Old Trafford.
Speaking at a press conference to promote a charity match in Bogota, Colombia, Maradona said: "Van Gaal is not a nice guy. Van Gaal is closer to the devil than anything."
Maradona, who watched United lose at home to Liverpool last season, is convinced the serious knee injury which Falcao picked up last year has hindered his ability to adapt to conditions in England.
Falcao, 29, was forced to miss the World Cup last year because of the injury and has also been troubled by a series of niggling problems since the start of his loan deal last August.
"His time was cut short after the injury and he has to adapt to the move," Maradona said at the press conference shown on the YouTube channel of TV station Canal Capital.
And he didn't stop there.
The Argentine legend also believes the upcoming FIFA election offers a chance ''to kick (Sepp) Blatter in the rear end.''
The former World Cup star is in Colombia to play an exhibition game on Friday called the ''Game for Peace,'' but he could not resist weighing in on Blatter's bid for his fifth consecutive term to head soccer's governing body.
''I think we have a good chance to kick (Sepp) Blatter in the rear end - without a doubt,'' Maradona said at an interview on Thursday.
Maradona, who has had a long-running feud with Blatter, said he is supporting FIFA vice president Prince Ali bin al-Hussein of Jordan. Dutch soccer association chairman Michael van Praag and former Portugal international Luis Figo are also running against Blatter.
Maradona said Blatter had ''done a lot of damage'' to the game.
Maradona's quote was similar to one by FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke, who said three years ago that Brazilian officials needed a ''kick in the backside'' to speed up work building venues for the 2014 World Cup.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
