According to Spanish newspaper As, the reason Argentine star Angel Di Maria chose to stay at Benfica is due to ongoing threats from a gang in his hometown.
Benfica had previously announced an extension of Di Maria’s contract for another year, running until June 2025. However, according to As, this extension was not what Di Maria initially wanted, but his plans were disrupted.
In an interview, Di Maria revealed that his family has faced numerous threats, “Threats came from everywhere, from the neighborhood where my parents live, to my sister’s real estate company. My sister and brother-in-law were so scared they didn’t dare to report it to the police.”
“They sent a box containing a pig’s head and a bullet, along with a note saying that if I returned to Central Rosario, the next head would be my daughter’s, as well as my sister’s family,” Di Maria added.
At the end of the 2023-2024 season, Di Maria’s contract with Benfica expired. He expressed a desire to return briefly to Central Rosario to thank his hometown club before joining Inter Miami in the United States.
However, he was immediately threatened by criminal groups. According to Olé, Di Maria became a target for criminals because he had openly opposed drug trafficking in his hometown for years. Rosario is Argentina’s largest hub for drug distribution.
The management of Central Rosario subsequently promised to provide top-level security for Di Maria if he agreed to return to play in his hometown. They were even willing to provide an armored vehicle for the Argentine international and offer round-the-clock security.
Despite this, Di Maria chose to renew his contract with Benfica out of fear. In the winter transfer window of January 2025, the midfielder may consider moving to Inter Miami.