PTI
Kolkata, Dec 4: Argentine football legend Diego Maradona will offer tips to under-12 players of Mohun Bagan and Bhowanipore during a 'clinic' to be held at the Mohun Bagan ground on Sunday.
The sub-junior players will get a chance to interact with the 1986 World Cup hero during his scheduled stop to Mohun Bagan, regarded one of the oldest club in Asia.
The football clinic will be held at 3 in the afternoon. "As per the slot, Maradona is scheduled to spend 45 minutes at the club ground. However, if he desires he can stay longer as the Argentine has a free slot from 1 pm to 8 pm on Sunday," Bhaswar Goswami, executive director of Celebrity Management Group (CMG), instrumental in bringing the football legend to Kolkata, said on Wednesday.
In fact, the idea to organise a football clinic during his two-day visit was proposed by Maradona himself, revealed Goswami.
"When the tour itinerary was finalised, Maradona specifically wanted a slot devoted for a football clinic wherein he could interact with the youngsters. It was solely his idea to offer some tips to the young kids. If he likes, he may display some of his skills too." added Goswami.
The football clinic is likely to be witnessed by 14,000 spectators at the club ground and tickets worth Rs 100 will be distributed from Friday.
Excited about Maradona's visit to Mohun Bagan, club's general secretary Anjan Mitra said, "It's a dream come true for all of us here. The fact that Maradona will spend 45 minutes at the club itself is a big thing."
Maradona is scheduled to arrive here on December 5 night. The next morning, at 10, Maradona will lay the foundation stone of the Indian Football School (IFS) at Maheshtala, near Kolkata.
At 1 in the afternoon he will address the media before going to the Yuba Bharati Krirangan (YBK) where a grand felicitation has been organised. The three-and-a-half hour function, which is said to attract around 1.2 lakh spectators, will begin at 3.30 pm.
Currently the coach of the Argentina football team, Maradona will visit the Missionaries of Charity on the last day of his visit to the country.
In the evening, an auction of his memorabilia will be held at the hotel. Maradona will leave late night on Sunday.