Lavezzi’s former Napoli lawyer says he suffers from hypomania

There have been many reports from South America in recent weeks adding to the confusion around the health of Ezequiel Lavezzi. The former Napoli footballer was hospitalised following a crisis, with numerous sources attributing this to drug or alcohol use.

Mauricio D’Alessandro, Lavezzi’s lawyer, has provided some clarification in an interview with French football news site So Foot. He is quoted as saying: “He is doing very well, his progress is very good. He will stay in treatment for 21 days and then have the option to leave or stay depending on his conditions.”

D’Alessandro rejects claims that Lavezzi was in intensive care and insists that the former footballer was hospitalised due to a chronic mood disorder known as hypomania, a condition he has dealt with in the past. He stated emphatically, “He is not being treated for drug or alcohol consumption, but to treat a psychiatric disorder that could lead someone to harm themselves.”

On the night of Lavezzi’s admittance to hospital, D’allessandro said, “In the middle of the night, he heard a noise and thought there were people in the house, that’s when the incident occurred. When he left the hospital, he tried to overcome the crisis alone. In general, this could take from fifteen days to a month. But he failed, which is why he sought medical help in this place. It is a condition that requires medical treatment.”

The clarification from D’Alessandro will help to dispel the rumours and speculation surrounding Lavezzi’s health. As of now, it seems that the former player’s condition is improving, with his ongoing treatment focusing on his mood disorder rather than substance abuse.