The UEFA 'vampires' in Madrid ahead of Wanda derby
Representatives of the continent's football governing body turned up to surprise some of the Real Madrid players with a drugs test.
Real Madrid's Friday morning training at the Veldebebas training facility was a little different, and not only because minds were on the weekend derby at the home of their city rivals, Atlético. UEFA's drug enforcers were in town.
Madrid anti-doping tests
The clash on Saturday evening - one you can follow live with AS English - pits the current LaLiga leaders with the team just a point behind, and so many talking points related to it. But it was the medical team from European football's governing body that took the focus as they carried out doping controls on ten Madrid players.
Further reading | UEFA Anti-doping guide for players
Those selected were chosen at random, as is normal in these situations, after the UEFA representatives arrived early and by surprise. One of Zidane's new boys, Diego Militao, showed signs that he had been one of the ten, as can be seen in the photograph taken by Chema Díaz (Diario AS) during the session. These checks come on the back of Monday's by LaLiga, as reported by José Luis Sánchez.
It's been a big week for Los Blancos, in football and in health...