LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON? Diego Junior Talented right-footed player, capped by Italy's U-17 side Recognised as Maradona's son through DNA evidence after court battle Attracted interest of Blackburn Rovers before trial at Dunfermline in 2004 Diego senior Left-footed genius, inspired Argentina's 1986 World Cup win But outraged England fans with 'Hand of God' goal Skills slid away as cocaine habit took hold

Italian Diego Maradona Jr is transferring from the second division team Genoa to an amateur side at the centre of a special programme.

The 18-year-old, who has played for Italy's Under-17 national side, will join Cervia, a small team from the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna.

Television cameras follow Cervia every day to film footage for the show Campioni.

The programme's audience votes on who should play every Sunday and the game is broadcast live on the private TV channel Italia 1.

Until Maradona's arrival, the only other well-known figure in the team was the coach, Francesco 'Ciccio' Graziani, who won the World Cup with Italy in 1982.

"He is very young, they tell me he is already a good player, but I hope that this new adventure gives him the chance to improve and grow up even more," Graziani said of the young Maradona.

But the Italian daily newspaper La Repubblica was more sceptical.

It described Maradona as "difficult" and "one who has often argued with coaches", suggesting that he was more useful for the TV show than for the matches.

"Diego Jr is definitely not needed on the pitch: he is needed to fight with Graziani... and generate those delightful interpersonal relationships which mark any self-respecting reality show," the paper said.

Cervia currently lie second in their amateur league and are hoping to be promoted.

Timeline: Highs & Lows

While the junior Maradona entertains TV viewers, his father could also be appearing on the small screen despite paying the price for years of excess.

"He's going to resume the treatment and study some offers he's received from Spanish television," said his lawyer Roberto Damboriana.

Maradona has been undergoing treatment for his addiction to cocaine since September, five months after spending 10 days in the intensive care unit of a Buenos Aires hospital with heart and breathing problems.

Although he had spent much of the last four years at a spa on the Caribbean island, he has been subjected to a much stricter regime in his latest bout of treatment.

And he has recently appeared on several TV shows where he appeared to be in good spirits.

"I always said we were going to see another Diego, a different Diego, because he has not been consuming drugs," Damboriana said.

BBC Monitoring, based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.