The mystery of the ‘stolen’ Diego Armando Maradona painting at his mural in Naples has been resolved.
There was outrage today when fans realised one of the key items in the shrine to El Pibe de Oro had gone missing from the Quartieri Spagnoli area of the city.
The ultras even tried to put together search parties to find the missing image, depicting Maradona’s legendary left foot in gold on a black background.
It was donated to the city of Naples by Maradona’s friend and manager Stefano Ceci.
However, the Corriere del Mezzogiorno online edition insists the mystery has already been solved and it was only a misunderstanding.
It appears the painting fell off its usual spot on the wall and was taken away both for its own safety and to get it a stronger frame to prevent a repeat of the collapse.
The work of art is already back as part of the mural, which has become one of the biggest tourist attractions in Naples.