Soccer star of the 1980s Diego Maradona woke up "three or four times" Wednesday and told his personal doctor Alfredo Cahe that he wanted to leave the Guemes Hospital, Guemes medical director Hector Pezzella told a Wednesday press conference.

Pezzella said that Maradona, who is under sedation, has had "a few moments of agitation from alcoholic abstinence which have been reduced over the past 24 hours." The footballer has been hospitalized for a week.

Pezzella said, "the patient (Maradona) is on his second day without family nor friends visits."

"Since Maradona is in the process of absolute abstinence he gets nervous and wants to leave, therefore he must be kept calm."

"Maradona wakes up about four times a day for about five minutes each time," said Pezzella.

Pezzella said, "if he continues to get well at the same rate ofprevious days," the hospitalization may be reduced from 15 days to10, which means Maradona could leave Friday.

However, Pezzella added, "since this is a voluntary hospitalization, if the patient wants to leave and signs according to that wish, making himself responsible, he can leave any time."

Maradona, 46, is suffering from liver inflammation caused by excessive drinking.

Editor: Donald