Maradona labelled me Boca’s Little Maestro ... I have a lot to thank him for
EX-TOON STAR SOLANO’S DEBT TO LEGEND DIEGO
Chief Sports Writer NOBBY Solano has revealed that Diego Maradona gave him all the confidence he needed to go on to become a Premier League star with Newcastle United. Just a season prior to joining the Magpies, Solano was plying his trade for Boca Juniors and working with the player many regard as the greatest player of all time. Solano has been looking back on his time playing with the Argentinian ace back in the late 1990s. Speaking to the Chronicle from Lima, Solano said: “Playing and being around Maradona was just like a dream. “Firstly, me signing for Boca Juniors was unreal for a young boy from Peru. “To people in Europe, it equates to a youngster from Poland signing for Manchester United or Barcelona perhaps.
“They are a massive club and have won the title in Argentina 32 times.
“When I knew I would be playing with Maradona I was counting down the days.
“He came into the dressing room, shook my hand and gave me a hug. “I was taken aback by it all. “It’s probably like somebody getting to play with Lionel Messi these days.”
Solano scored some fantastic goals for the Magpies not to mention some fantastic free-kicks.
The Peruvian legend says time on the training ground with Maradona helped him deliver on the big stage at St James’ Park.
Solano recalled: “We started training together and taking free-kicks.
“After I’d curled one into the top corner Maradona shouted over to the manager, ‘Who’s this kid, we have a little maestro on our hands here!’
“And so the name stuck in the Press, I was the Little Maestro.
“But Maradona treated me brilliantly.
“It really helped me later in my career and when I went to Newcastle.
“I was the only player he’d let take a free-kick or a corner! I loved my