According to Spanish newspaper AS, Argentine star Angel Di Maria chose to stay at Benfica because of continued threats from gangs in his homeland.
Benfica previously announced a one-year contract extension with Di Maria, which will keep him at the club until June 2025. According to AS, this was not Di Maria’s original plan, but his plans were disrupted.
In an interview, Di Maria revealed that his family has suffered numerous threats, “The threats came from everywhere, from the neighbourhood where my parents live, to my sister’s real estate company. My sister and brother-in-law are so scared that they didn’t dare to call the police.”
“They sent a box containing a pig’s head and a bullet, along with a note saying that if I returned to Rosario Central, the next head would be my daughter’s, and my sister’s family’s.” Di Maria added.
At the end of the 2023-2024 season, Di Maria’s contract with Benfica expired. He stated that he hoped to return to Rosario Central for a short period to thank his hometown club before heading to the United States to join Inter Miami.
However, he was immediately threatened by criminal gangs. Ole newspaper revealed that Di Maria was targeted by criminals because he has publicly opposed drug trafficking in his hometown for years. Rosario is the largest drug distribution center in Argentina.
Rosario Central management subsequently promised to provide Di Maria with the highest level of security if he agreed to return home to play. They were even willing to provide the Argentine national team player with an armored vehicle and 24/7 security.
Despite this, Di Maria opted to renew his contract with Benfica due to fear. He might consider transferring to Inter Miami during the January transfer window in 2025.
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