Maradona: Refs must get tough

Argentina coach Diego Maradona has again called on referees to protect flair players such as Lionel Messi in the World Cup, urging officials to be even stricter with offending opponents.

Maradona made a similar plea prior to his side’s opening encounter against Nigeria – a match Argentina won 1-0 and in which Messi was outstanding – and he repeated it ahead of their second Group B fixture against South Korea this afternoon.