Angel Di Maria received an anonymous death threat in his hometown of Rosario on Monday. Di Maria is currently on international duty with
Argentina and staff at the Funes Hills Miraflores condominium, where he typically stays when he returns home, discovered a package containing the threat. According to local media, the threat warns Di Maria not to return to boyhood club Rosario Central after the 36-year-old winger said he hopes to end his career there. "Tell your son Angel not to come back to Rosario because we will kill a family member," the threat read, according to Argentine news outlet Infobae. "Not even [provincial governor, Maximiliano] Pullaro is going to save you. We don't leave paper notes. We leave bullets and dead people behind." Watch the
Premier League title race with the best Sky Sports deals Sir Jim Ratcliffe outlines new Erik ten Hag plan after drawing up 10-man replacement list The threat was in response to Di Maria's earlier statement to TyC Sports: "I would like to return to Rosario Central, this year or the year after. The illusion of returning to the Gigante de Arroyito is there. That moment will come." The former
Real Madrid and
Manchester United player is currently at Benfica, but his contract is due to expire at the end of the season. Despite the threat, Di Maria is set to start for Argentina when they take on Costa Rica in a friendly match in
Los Angeles. "Di Maria knows that he has our full support for whatever he needs," manager Lionel Scaloni told reporters. "The important thing is that he plays, that will relax him a little."
Lionel Messi received a similar threat last year ( Image: Getty Images) Esteban Santantino, who works in security for the local government, told Argentine broadcaster Todo Noticias: "That kind of threat brings a lot of social commotion and that is their aim — to make the population scared, hit public figures." Lionel Messi, who was also born in Rosario, was sent a similar threat last year after gunmen attacked a supermarket in the city. After firing shots at the supermarket, they left a threatening message at the scene. "Messi. We are waiting for you. [Mayor Pablo] Javkin is a narco. He's not going to look after you," the message read. Join our new
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