Argentina National Team head coach and Boca Junior legend Diego Maradon has felt enough of the Juan Roman Riquelme backlash from Boca supporters during the weekends 3 – 0 win over Argentino Juniors, including posters that described him as a traitor, that he felt it warranted a public response on Argentine radio.

Via SI

“I didn’t expect that reaction from people, but I don’t blame them,” Maradona told an Argentine radio station late Wednesday.

One such poster read: “Riquelme, Boca idol. Maradona, national team idol and traitor.”

The duel between the two Boca Juniors titans began when Maradona repeatedly and publicly criticized Riquelme’s form, saying he was “of no use” to the national team if he continued to perform poorly.

Riquelme fired back, resigning from the national team on March 10.

Maradona hadn’t included Argentina’s leading scorer in World Cup qualifiers since taking charge in November.

“It hurts me deeply that someone has called me a traitor,” said Maradona, who led Argentina to the 1986 World Cup and 1990 final. “But people have the right to chose whichever side they want.”

Riquelme was in top form against Argentinos Juniors and scored a penalty in Boca’s 3-1 victory over Guarani of Paraguay in the Copa Libertadores on Wednesday.

Image via Cache