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'Messi is a teddy bear' - Maradona feels Barca star should have served longer Argentina ban

The World Cup winner is pleased to see a key man available for his country but believes the rescinding of his suspension shows preferential treatment

Diego Maradona says Lionel Messi is “more like a teddy bear than a football player”, but feels it was still wrong for his Argentina ban to be rescinded.

The Barcelona star has been cleared to play for his country again after sitting out just one game of an initial four-match suspension.

He has been cleared by the FIFA appeals committee after allegedly insulting a match official during a World Cup qualifier against Chile.