Former Barcelona and Real Madrid forward Javier Saviola spent the early hours of this week in an Andorran prison cell after being caught driving under the influence of alcohol, Soccernet.football reports.
Saviola, 42, who served as a coach for Barcelona’s under-19 team during the 2022-23 season, was stopped by police during a routine check early Monday morning.
According to reports from Altaveu, carried by MD, he failed a breathalyser test at around 04:40 am, recording more than double the legal blood alcohol limit.
He was subsequently taken into custody but has since been released. The former Argentine international is expected to face a fine and may lose his driving licence for up to a year.
Saviola’s illustrious football career saw him representing both Barcelona and Real Madrid, as well as Sevilla, Malaga, Benfica, and Olympiacos.
In 2004, he was the youngest player named on Pelé’s FIFA 100 list of the 125 greatest living footballers. Saviola, who also holds Spanish nationality, accumulated 196 La Liga appearances and scored 70 goals over eight seasons.
Throughout his career, Saviola won league titles in Argentina, Spain, Portugal, and Greece, as well as a UEFA Cup.
As an Argentine international, he competed in the 2006 World Cup and the 2004 Copa América, where Argentina finished as runners-up.
He also secured a gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Despite his on-pitch successes, Saviola now faces a challenging period off the field as he deals with the consequences of his actions.