Crooks who burgled Angel Di Maria’s Paris home in 2021 sentenced to a total of seven years in prison

Two men have been sentenced to four and three years of imprisonment following the burglary of Angel Di Maria’s family home in Paris two years ago. 

The Argentine star’s residence was looted back back in March 2021 while he was playing in a Ligue 1 match for Paris Saint-Germain, leading to him being substituted.

Members of Di Maria’s family were present during the robbery – where luxury watches, jewellery and cash worth €500,000 (£450,000) were stolen from an unlocked safe.

The trial revealed how the crooks had entered Di Maria’s home through a terrace on the third floor. CCTV footage identified a defendant known as Reda B., who admitted to the charges of burglary and sentenced to four years in prison.

Although Di Maria’s wife and two young daughters were present in the residence they did not come across any of the burglars. 

Medhi B., was also handed three years for his part in the robbery while another defendant Sarah A., had been partially cleared having assisted the robbery, but was still imposed with a six-month suspended sentence.

Di Maria filed a civil action with his lawyer stating, ‘he wanted to understand the precise course of this burglary to avoid at all costs that an intrusion happens again.’ 

Di Maria will receive €5,000 (£4,500) in damages – paid for by the three defendants – for non-pecuinary damage and his family being present during the events.

A fourth defendant known as Emma H., was also on trial but was released. She had previously been sentenced to ten months suspended in prison in 2022 for the complicity in burglaries involving now Chelsea defender Thiago Silva and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting who both previously played for PSG. 

On the night of the incident, Di Maria was taken off during Paris Saint-Germain’s 2-1 defeat by Nantes.

PSG sporting director Leonardo was seen on his phone during the second half, and after a brief discussion with manager Mauricio Pochettino, Di Maria was replaced by Leandro Paredes after 62 minutes.

Pochettino then shared a few words with the midfielder before walking with him towards the dressing room before the PSG boss returned to the touchline.

On the same night, Di Maria’s team-mate Marquinhos was also victim of a burglary at his family home – with two men convicted last month with seven and five years in prison including three on probation.

It’s not the first Di Maria and his family have been targeted by thieves, after his home was broken into by burglars in England while he was playing for Manchester United.

A gang of three armed thugs were reported to have used metal scaffolding poles in an attempt to break through patio doors at the Argentine’s mansion in Cheshire.

It was said at the time he was eating dinner with his wife Jorgelina Cardoso and his first-born daughter when the terrifying raid unfolded.

Di Maria has since moved to Juventus where his home has also been targeted for a break-in, with the 35-year-old this time present along with his family as well as a team-mate.

Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport said the attempted break-in occurred in the same area of Turin where Cristiano Ronaldo and his family lived while he played for Juventus.

Thieves targeting footballers’ homes in Paris and across Europe have become a real concern with several incidents over the past few years with Julian Draxler and Dani Alves also targeted in the past along with Silva, Di Maria, Marquinhos and Choupo-Moting.