Maradona hails Messi after Argentina defeat

MADRID — Argentina coach Diego Maradona hailed Lionel Messi's performance in the 2-1 defeat to European champion Spain on Saturday, saying the forward is slowly becoming the "leader" of the team. Messi struck a 61st-minute penalty in the visitor's improved second-half performance, only for Xabi Alonso's 86th-minute penalty to squash the comeback. Alonso also opened for the host. "It wasn't brilliant but the team responded well against the European champion," 

Maradona said. "It works for me, it works a lot for me because the team reacted very well." Messi was more involved in Argentina's play than in recent World Cup qualifiers, when the young Barcelona forward received criticism for failing to emulate his club play for country. But he didn't appear to stand out and was replaced by winger Diego Perotti in the 84th. "Leo played marvelously well today, little by little he's becoming the team's leader," Maradona said at Vicente Calderon Stadium. "It's what I want, what I hope for." Messi was one of the few bright spots during a first half when Argentina barely threatened Spain's goal "I leave here happy because in the first half they were much better than us but we resolved the problem," said Maradona, whose team was particularly troubled by Spain forward David Silva. 

"The second half was all ours. Our only problem was a lack of definition." Spain coach Vicente del Bosque called it a classic Argentina performance, filled with aggressive, combative play. "We expected a rough, tough match," the Spanish coach said. "That's no criticism of Argentina, it's praise because they're a super professional team." Maradona will travel to FIFA headquarters on Sunday for a special hearing convened after the 49-year-old World Cup winner's expletive-filled tirade against journalists following a victory at Uruguay last month. Maradona is facing up to a five-match ban and a heavy fine. "I'm going to go and declare and nothing more," Maradona said. Source:usatoday.com