An Argentine court is expected to deliver its verdict on December 22 in the trial of seven healthcare professionals accused of negligence in connection with the death of football icon Diego Maradona.

The date was announced on Thursday, October 22, following six months of proceedings examining whether the medical team responsible for the former Argentina captain’s treatment failed to provide adequate care before his death in November 2020.

Maradona, who was 60, died on November 25, 2020, after suffering heart failure and pulmonary edema while recovering from neurosurgery at a rented residence in Tigre, near Buenos Aires.

During the trial, prosecutors argued that his death could have been prevented if the medical team had responded appropriately to warning signs, including swelling, an abnormally rapid heartbeat and breathing difficulties.

The prosecution also questioned the decision to allow the football legend to recover at home rather than in a hospital. According to its submissions, the residence lacked critical emergency facilities, including a defibrillator, a hospital bed and an ambulance readily available to respond to a crisis.

Prosecutors have sought prison terms ranging from four to 12 years for six of the seven defendants, with the longest sentence requested for Leopoldo Luque, Maradona’s personal physician and the principal defendant in the case.

Luque has consistently denied wrongdoing, insisting that he did not cause the footballer’s death. He argued that his close relationship with Maradona had made him an easy target for accusations and described himself as a scapegoat.

“I cared deeply for him, I loved him, he was my idol and my friend,” Luque told the court, maintaining that Maradona’s death could not have been foreseen.

The proceedings heard testimony from more than 70 witnesses. The defence also presented audio recordings, scientific publications and footage of Maradona’s autopsy, material that reportedly drew objections from his daughters.

At the conclusion of the hearings, Maradona’s daughter, Dalma, made an emotional appeal for justice, expressing hope that her father would receive the same justice as anyone else.

The verdict will determine whether the seven medical professionals bear criminal responsibility for the circumstances surrounding the death of one of football’s most celebrated players.

Maradona’s death triggered widespread grief across Argentina, where he remains an enduring sporting icon, particularly for his role in leading the national team to victory at the 1986 FIFA World Cup.