SEVILLE. Spain. July 6: Disgraced Argentine Diego Maradona faces a 1.5 million dollars court suit launched by his former' club Sevilla for alleged damages, the Spanish news agency Efe said on Wednesday, reports Reuter.

Efe quoted Seville court sources as saying Sevilla were seeking 200 million pesetas (1.5 million) in compensation from Maradona for breaching his contract to the club for the 1992-93 season.

The former Argentine captain was withdrawn last week by his national football association from the World Cup team and suspended indefinitely from soccer by FIFA for using the stimulant ephedrine and related banned drugs.

The club fired Maradona before his contract was due to expire and withheld his final 1.15 million dollars pay cheque on the grounds that he , had not honoured his obligations to the club.

Maradona, 33. was signed by Sevilla in September. 1992.

I for 7.5 million dollars after the player had refused to return to Napoli following a 15-month ban from the game for taking cocaine.

Sevilla lodged the claim on Monday in an arbitration court, a step before full litigation. Courts sources said this move would block any legal action that might be taken to get the 1-15 million dollars the club had not paid.