Maradona's maiden trip to Kolkata on Dec 6

Kolkata, Nov 11: Argentina's new coach Diego Maradona will make his first two-day Asian trip to Kolkata on December six and visit Mother House.

The soccer great's trip to the city is being organised by a private agency - Celebrity Management Group (CMG) - in association with Balwens Group, a Uruguayan company, which has the rights to engage the participation of Diego Armando Maradona, CMG chief executive officer Dharamdutt Pandey told reporters here today along with West Bengal Sports Minister Subhash Chakraborty.Maradona will be in the city on December 6 and 7 to inaugurate the Indian Football School (IFS) at Maheshtala near here, visit the Missionaries of Charity, open a youth football clinic and participate in a fund raising dinner.

Maradona's memorabilia will also be auctioned during his stay in the city.

The 48-year-old soccer icon will also be accorded a civic reception at Salt Lake Stadium with the state government support, said Mr Chakraborty.

Indian Football School's chief architect and CPI(M) Lok Sabha member Shamik Lahiri said he had been in Argentina recently to rope in a South Amerian football academy to train here.

He said Maradona's visit would give a fillip to the IFS, whose plan was to produce top class players as Tata Football Academy was now doing.

Mr Lahiri said Maradona's wife Claudia will also accompany the small contingent visiting the city.

UNI