The 'doping' shadow hanging over Real Madrid's last two Champions League triumphs
The irregularities committed by Sergio Ramos when it comes to drug testing has increased the doubts surrounding the legitimacy of Real Madrid's recent successes
It's been proven that Juventus used questionable medical practices and illegal substances between 1994 and 1996 in order to improve the performances of their players. They reached three consecutive Champions League finals (in 1996, 1997 & 1998). Twenty years later and Real Madrid have gone one better and won three consecutive Champions League titles. The root cause of the speculation around Los Blancos stems from a report by 'Football Leaks' which shows Sergio Ramos committed two irregularites when it came to drug testing. What does the case on Juventus and this one about Real Madrid have in common?
Two names: Zinedine Zidane and Antonio Pintus.
Zidane was of course the first team coach of Madrid during this golden period but he was also part of Juventus' squad at the time of the drug scandal. And Pintus, who has worked at Madrid since 2016/17, was a fitness coach at Juventus when these illegal practices took place. The presence of Sergio Ramos, Zidane and Pintus only further increases the doubts over the purity of Real Madrid's recent wins.
coincidences
‘Football Leaks’ revealed the irregularities surrounding Ramos in the German newspaper 'Der Spiegel'. The first of the two questionable events took place minutes after the 2017 Champions League final in Cardiff. It's a curious coincidence on the Real Madrid bench that day were two people who were caught up in the Juventus doping scandal. Pintus was the fitness coach at Juventus and Zidane, who arrived at Turin in 1996, his star player.
The Italian Supreme Court said there was proof in 2007 that Juventus used banned drugs to improve the player's performances. The Prosecution charged them with systematic use of EPO. Riccardo Agricola, the head doctor, was initially found guilty but later had his verdict overturned on appeal. Antonio Giraudo, a director of the Italian club, was aquitted but doubts remain over the authenticity of that Juventus team.
suspicion
The suspicion has now moved onto the team Zidane coached to three successive Champions League titles. The manager appointed Pintus to his team in the summer of 2016 and the Italian fitness coach is an important figure once again under Santiago Solari. When Lopetegui was in charge he preferred to use his own man, Óscar Caro.
The irregularities from Sergio Ramos - after the match against Malaga last season and after the Champions League final in Cardiff - has once again pushed the focus onto the Italian fitness coach and, above all, the legitimacy of Real Madrid's recent Champions League triumphs.
