Sports
Death threats ruin Di Maria’s ‘dream’ Return to Rosario Central
Angel Di Maria, the former Argentina winger, has revealed that death threats forced him to abandon his plans to return to his boyhood club, Rosario Central. The 36-year-old, who recently retired from international football after winning the Copa America with Argentina, intended to end his career at the Argentine club where he began his professional journey.
Di Maria, now a free agent after leaving Benfica at the end of last season, spent two formative years at Rosario Central from 2005 to 2007. However, threats against his family have compelled him to reconsider his decision. The threats were not reported to authorities due to fear of escalation.
“There was a threat at my sister’s business, a box with a pig’s head and a bullet in the forehead, and a note that said that if I returned to [Rosario] Central, the next head was that of my daughter Pia,” Di Maria recounted in an interview with a television station in Rosario. “Those months were horrible. We could only sit there and cry each night over not being able to carry out that dream return.”
Di Maria’s illustrious career began at Rosario Central before he moved to Benfica in 2007. After three successful years in Portugal, he joined Real Madrid, where he won numerous titles during his four-year stint. In 2014, Di Maria transferred to Manchester United for a then-British record fee of £59.7 million but spent only one season in England before moving to Paris Saint-Germain.
After a fruitful seven years with PSG, Di Maria had a season with Juventus before rejoining Benfica in 2023. Despite his desire to return to Rosario Central, the safety of his family takes precedence, leading him to reluctantly abandon his plans.
The threats have cast a shadow over what was meant to be a heartfelt return to the club where Di Maria’s professional career began, leaving him and his family devastated by the situation.
British tennis player Jack Draper has secured a spot in the Japan Open last 16 after defeating Italy’s Mattia Bellucci in straight sets. Draper, ranked world number 20, claimed a 6-4, 6-2 victory, marking his first win since his US Open semi-final loss to Jannik Sinner earlier this month.
The 22-year-old’s triumph in Tokyo comes as a welcome return to form following a challenging Davis Cup in Manchester, where he lost both of his singles matches to Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo and Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, contributing to Great Britain’s failure to reach the knockout stages.
After a tightly contested first set against world number 103 Bellucci, Draper dominated the second set, building a 5-1 lead before closing out the match. He will face Polish second seed Hubert Hurkacz in the next round on Friday.
Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Yerson Mosquera is expected to miss the remainder of the season following a serious knee injury sustained in Wolves’ 3-1 loss to Aston Villa. The 23-year-old Colombian twisted his knee after a collision with Villa’s Morgan Rogers in the 82nd minute and was stretchered off the pitch.
Scans confirmed that Mosquera suffered damage to both the medial collateral ligament (MCL) and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which will require surgery. Wolves’ head of high performance, Phil Hayward, said, “We will be visiting specialists to finalise the plan for surgery, and it’s highly unlikely he will feature again this season.”
Mosquera had been a key part of Wolves’ defense this season, starting all five Premier League games after returning from a loan spell at Villarreal. His absence further deepens Wolves’ defensive issues, as they did not secure a replacement for Max Kilman following his £40m move to West Ham.
Wolves, currently winless and sitting at the bottom of the Premier League, face Liverpool at home in their next match.
Raphael Varane, former defender for Real Madrid, Manchester United, and the French national team, has retired from professional football at the age of 31. Varane, who joined Italian side Como in July, sustained a knee injury on his debut, prompting his decision to step away from playing. He will remain at Como in a non-playing capacity.
In an emotional Instagram post, Varane wrote, “It takes a big dose of courage to listen to your heart and your instinct,” explaining his desire to leave the sport on his own terms.
Varane began his career at Lens before a decade-long stint at Real Madrid, where he won 18 major trophies, including three La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns. He later joined Manchester United in 2021, making 95 appearances and winning the Carabao Cup in 2022.
Internationally, Varane earned 93 caps for France, winning the 2018 World Cup and the 2021 Nations League. Reflecting on his career, Varane expressed pride in both his achievements and staying true to his values.
He hinted at future projects with Como, adding, “Something I am looking forward to sharing more about soon.” Varane has also been vocal about the dangers of head injuries in football, having played through concussions during his career, and he has called for better protection for players.
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