Maradona's personal doctor in tears as he defends himself after police search

Neurologist Leopoldo Luque, Diego Maradona's former personal doctor, talks with journalists at his home in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020. Dr. Luque's house and offices were raided Sunday in the midst of investigations to establish the circumstances of the death of Maradona. [Fabian Marelli, La Nacion via AP]

Diego Maradona’s personal physician mounted an emotional defence of his treatment of the soccer legend after a police search of his home on Sunday

Leopoldo Luque broke down in tears as he insisted he had done everything possible to assist the retired footballer in his first interview since investigators launched their shock operation to try to establish whether Maradona had been the victim of medical negligence.

Tears rolled down his cheeks as he insisted in a hastily-arranged press conference at his home near Buenos Aires which lasted nearly 40 minutes a “friend” had died and Diego was his own worst enemy when it came to accepting help from professionals.

He said: “I was shocked when police turned up at my door. I’m going to co-operate fully.

“I know what I did and what I did was for Diego’s benefit until the last moment. I did the best I could.

“I feel terrible because a friend died.

“I don’t blame myself for anything. It’s very unfair what’s happening.

“I didn’t see Diego’s daughters a lot but the rest of his family, his siblings and his nephews adore me.

“Someone is trying to find a scapegoat here when I don’t see one anywhere.

Police stand guard the entrance of Dr. Leopoldo Luque's practice in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2020. Luque was Diego Maradona's personal doctor, and his house and offices were raided Sunday in the midst of investigations to establish the circumstances of the death of the former soccer star. [AP Photo, Leo La Valle]

“We all did the best we could with Diego.”

“You’ll need to ask his psychologists but I thought he looked very down. I’d seen him that way for a while.”

Insisting Diego had a problem with pills and alcohol, he added: “He punished himself in a way I wasn’t going to allow, not as a doctor but as a friend.

“I don’t see good and bad people in all this. We all did what we could.

"But Diego was the most difficult one of them. You couldn’t do anything if Diego didn’t want it.

"He hated doctors and psychologists. With me it was different because I was honest with him. He was my friend.

“He should have gone to a centre of rehabilitation when he left hospital but he didn’t want to.

“If I’m responsible for anything when it comes to Diego, it was loving him and improving his life.”