Brazil striker Robinho threatened Pele with legal action on Tuesday over the former great’s suggestion that he had a drug problem.
The Manchester City forward is angry at Pele’s comments last week that Robinho and Ronaldo had both had a drug problem. Robinho’s representatives want Pele to explain the comments attributed to him and apologize if they were accurately reported.
“A formal retraction from Pele will be requested, if what he said was not misinterpreted by the media that published it,” a statement on Robinho’s personal Web site said. “And if Pele does not come forward, he will have to deal with his very unfortunate comment in court.”
Guilhereme Prado, a spokesman for Ronaldo’s club, Corinthians, said the veteran striker had no immediate comment on Pele’s remarks.
Pele’s comments to a Brazilian radio station appeared to suggest that any transgression was in the past.
“It’s unfair to talk of drugs in football just because of one or two cases, as happened with Ronaldo and Robinho, who had that problem,” Pele said.
Bayer 04 Leverkusen go into today’s match at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim stung from their first league defeat in 16 months. Leverkusen were beaten 3-2 at home by RB Leipzig before the international break, the first loss since May last year for the reigning league and cup champions. While any defeat, particularly against a likely title rival, would have disappointed coach Xabi Alonso, the way in which it happened would be most concerning. Just as they did in the Supercup against VfB Stuttgart and in the league opener to Borussia Moenchengladbach, Leverkusen scored first, but were pegged back. However, while Leverkusen rallied late to
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