Diego Maradona dies: La Liga and Ligue 1 to hold pre-match tributes

Barcelona, November 27: The top divisions in Spain and France will hold tributes to Diego Maradona before each of this weekend's matches.

Argentina great Maradona died on Wednesday (November 25) in his homeland, having reportedly suffered a heart attack.

All games in Spain's La Liga and the Segunda Division in the coming matchday will be preceded by a minute's silence, competition organisers said in a statement.

La Liga said the pre-match tributes will convey condolences "to his family, friends and all the fans around the world who remember him".

Maradona spent two seasons with Barcelona, who face Osasuna at home on Saturday (November 28), before returning to La Liga with Sevilla in 1992.

At Barca's Camp Nou stadium, flags were flown at half-mast on Thursday (November 26), the day on which the 1986 World Cup-winning star was being laid to rest in Argentina.

In France, the pre-game protocols for Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 will undergo "exceptional" changes for this weekend as a mark of respect for Maradona.

The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) said: "At this moment of great sadness for football, the LFP, the clubs and the UNFP (the French footballers' union) wanted to place this 12th matchday under the star of Diego Maradona."