VALENCIA, Spain -- Former Real Madrid star Alfredo Di Stefano was scheduled to leave the hospital on Thursday, 27 days after suffering a severe heart attack.

Di Stefano, 79, was stricken while with his family in neighboring town of Sagunto on Dec. 24. He underwent a quadruple aorta-coronary bypass in a five-hour operation four days later and had a pacemaker fitted Tuesday.

Argentine-born Di Stefano won five consecutive European Cups with Madrid, scoring in each final. He also won eight Spanish league winners' medals and became the club's honorary president in 2000.