'Psychopath' Diego Maradona caught punching ex girlfriend

DIRTY Diego Maradona has been labelled a psychopath after a violent video of him appearing to assault his on-off girlfriend was leaked to an Argentine TV station.

The Hand Of God football legend showed he doesn’t use his hands just to score cheat goals as he staggered off his sofa looking the worse for wear to have a go at Rocio Oliva for using her mobile.

Rocio filmed pot-bellied Diego, 53, walking towards her spluttering: “You still looking at your phone.”

She retorted: “Can’t I look at it?” before begging him: “Stop Diego, calm down, stop hitting,” as he appeared to strike her twice with his right hand.

Last night Maradona, whose infamous Hand of God goal helped Argentina knock England out of the 1986 World Cup, tried to ride out the storm by insisting he had only knocked the phone out of her hands.

“Stop Diego, calm down, stop hitting”

Diego Maradon's ex Rocio Oliva begs him to stop the violence
 
He told a friendly Argentine journalist: “I sent the phone flying but I swear I’ve never hit a woman.

"The story starts and finishes there.

"I admit I knocked the phone out of Rocio’s hands but there’s nothing more to it. The situation didn’t continue.”

Diego was put on the defensive after the 30-second video, secretly recorded by Diego’s former fiancee, was broadcast on a lunchtime TV programme on Monday.

The violent scene is thought to have been recorded at the retired footballer’s apartment near Buenos Aires when he returned to Argentina earlier this month after his dad was rushed to hospital.

He is now back at his home in Dubai without either Rocio or ex Veronica Ojeda, who he has also been romantically linked to in recent months after dumping her when she was four months pregnant with their child Diego Fernando, who will be two in February.

Last night Rocio’s aunt branded him a “psychopath and woman beater” and claimed the video that had been leaked was just a part of a longer recording showing even more violence.

Fans reacted in fury on social networking sites with one branding him a “son of a bitch” and another tweeting in Spanish: "Maradona is an idiot and everyone’s afraid of him.”

Some claimed the former footballer, who struggled to find his feet and his words before lashing out, was drunk and others that he was back on cocaine which he has admitted to being addicted to in the past.

It is not the first time Maradona has been accused of hitting 24-year-old Rocio, who he started dating at the beginning of last year after dumping Ojeda, 34.

In May last year he allegedly grabbed her by the neck during a violent row on a plane.

Passengers on board the jet told how the pair exchanged insults during a heated row.

Business class travellers including a politician's wife and air stewardesses had to step in to try to get him to calm down.

Angry Maradona later told bodyguards to elbow waiting photographers when he touched down in Buenos Aires and allegedly threw stones at cameramen on a motorway.

The incident happened as he went to meet his baby son by Veronica Ojeda for the first time.

This summer he was filmed slapping a male journalist he accused of winking at his former girlfriend.

Maradona prompted new concern about possible substance abuse in July after a slurring speech to journalists outside a restaurant in Argentina.

He spoke at snail’s pace and repeated himself as he appeared to struggle to finish his sentences - just like in the leaked video clip of him losing his temper with Rocio.

On that occasion he had just finished a romantic meal with Veronica Ojeda.