Diego Maradona Says Lionel Messi Is a 'Teddy Bear' After 'Terrible' Ban Decision

Argentina legend Diego Maradona has defended Lionel Messi in light of his recent FIFA ban for abuse directed towards an assistant referee, calling the Barcelona star a "teddy bear" on Argentinian radio show La Oral Deportiva, per Javier de Paz for AS.

Messi was handed a four-match ban from international football for shouting offensive words at an official during Argentina's World Cup qualifying match against Chile on Mar. 24, a charge he believes is unfair, per AS, prompting the following response from Maradona:

He went on to say that he is "going to speak with [FIFA president Gianni] Infantino" and that the decision to ban him was "terrible," per Paz.

Messi was seen gesticulating towards the official after being penalised for fouling an opponent during his team's 1-0 win against Chile. The Argentinian received an £8,100 fine on top of his ban, which ensures he will miss crucial World Cup qualifying matches against Uruguay, Venezuela and Peru, as well as the match he's already missed against Bolivia.

The timing could not be worse. Despite beating Chile, Argentina are fifth in the South America World Cup qualifying table after losing 2-0 to Bolivia, holding on to a play-off spot by a mere two points. Failure to reach Russia in 2018 would be a disaster for Argentina, and Messi's suspension makes this a genuine possibility.

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This partly explains why they are protesting the punishment. The national team secretary Jorge Miadosqui has confirmed they are "very angry" and are "going to appeal the FIFA sanction," per Tom Webber for Goal.

Messi has since said that "I said it to the air" and not directly at the official, per AS, prompting Maradona to weigh in on the story.

"[Messi] is a sensational person and doesn't do anything except train," he said, per Paz.

The former Argentina manager and World Cup winner conceded that Messi's words were unacceptable, but he thinks the punishment is too harsh for a player who rarely acts out.

"Four games is a lot," Maradona said. "However, the seriousness of Messi's words are also very strong, but I think it can be changed."

It is farcical to suggest that Maradona can influence FIFA's president in such a way, but nevertheless, his strong opinion adds to the growing dissent in Argentina, which has prompted some to predict that the ban will be reduced, including Fox Sport's Rob Stone:

Regardless of the outcome, Argentina fans will be disappointed that Messi, now one of the senior players, could not control his temper during such a crucial game. With World Cup qualification dependent upon their No. 10, Argentina will be praying Maradona's comments can help get their teddy bear back on to the pitch.