Maradona better but has hard fight ahead - doctor

BUENOS AIRES, Apr 9 (Reuters) Argentine soccer great Diego Maradona is responding well to treatment for alcohol abuse, but his personal doctor said today the hardest part of his recovery has just begun.

A daily medical report today said Maradona was recovering from alcohol-induced hepatitis but was still being sedated to ease his withdrawal symptoms.

Maradona's personal doctor, Alfredo Cahe, told local radio that his patient faced ''the most difficult part now, which is the treatment of psychopathological or abnormal aspects'' of his illness, referring to Maradona's addictive tendencies and his recent depression.

The treatment will now include ''an analysis of his true personality,'' Cahe said.

Known as one of the game's greatest players, Maradona has had repeated health problems since retiring 10 years ago. The 46-year-old was hospitalized in 2000 and 2004 with severe heart trouble related to cocaine use and worsened by obesity.

Soccer's governing body, FIFA, named Maradona -- the former captain who led Argentina to a World Cup victory in 1986 -- and Brazil's Pele as the two greatest players of the 20th century.

Maradona became obese after retiring from soccer and underwent drug rehabilitation in Cuba and Argentina before a stomach-stapling operation in 2005 helped him lose weight.

Later that year, he hosted a TV talk show in Argentina after declaring himself fully recovered.

In photographs taken soon before his most recent hospitalization, Maradona looked overweight and was shown smoking cigars.

Over the weekend, the medical director of the Guemes clinic where Maradona has been treated for the last 12 days said the soccer hero could leave the hospital by mid-week.

But Cahe was not nearly as optimistic. ''We still have a long time left,'' he said.

Reuters DH VP0117