The verdict in the trial concerning the 2020 death of Argentine football icon Diego Maradona is scheduled for December 22, the court announced Thursday following six months of proceedings in San Isidro, Argentina.

The trial, which involved seven healthcare professionals accused of negligence leading to Maradona’s death, concluded with final statements from both the defendant’s camp and Maradona’s family. Dalma Maradona, the late star’s daughter, expressed hope that her father would receive the justice she believes he deserves. Meanwhile, Leopoldo Luque, Maradona’s primary physician and the main defendant, maintained his innocence.

Maradona died at age 60 on November 25, 2020, at a residence in Tigre, a suburb north of Buenos Aires, where he was recovering from minor brain surgery. The cause of death was determined as heart failure combined with pulmonary edema. His passing prompted widespread mourning throughout Argentina amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Prosecutors in the trial have sought prison sentences ranging from four to twelve years for six of the seven defendants involved. Leopoldo Luque faces the harshest penalty, with prosecutors requesting a 12-year prison sentence. During closing arguments presented Wednesday, Luque’s defense attorneys argued against the prosecution’s claim that Maradona’s death was foreseeable, describing their client as a “scapegoat.”

The court’s impending verdict will determine the outcome for the medical professionals accused of failing to prevent the demise of one of football’s most celebrated figures.