The Argentine star Gabriel Batistuta confirmed that his compatriot Diego Maradona was an exceptional character, despite the problems he faced in his life. He pointed out that he always tried to tell him the truth despite the age difference between them, which earned him Maradona's respect.

Batistuta said: "It's sad that Diego passed away alone, with no one by his side, as if he died alone like a dog. We didn't make enough effort to protect him, and I feel guilty because I could have helped him. If you love someone, you should be there for them when they need you."

He also pointed out the moments of happiness that Maradona gave to football fans, expressing his hope that Lionel Messi does not go through what Maradona did: "When you look at them, you think they have everything and are superheroes, but they are human like us."

Batistuta added a comparison between the current legend and the former one, saying: "Messi scored a lot of goals and is calmer as a player, while Diego had something more; charisma and personality. For me, the best is still Diego."