Javier Saviola, a former Benfica, Real Madrid, Barcelona and River Plate player, spent the early hours of Sunday in a prison in Andorra after testing positive for alcohol. The Argentine footballer, who still plays the sport, had 1.10 grams of alcohol per litre of blood.
Saviola appeared in court on Sunday itself, around noon. While the exact details of the sentence have not been released, convictions in such cases typically involve a suspended sentence (which you must serve if you repeat the same punishable behavior within a few years), a financial penalty, and the loss of your driver’s license for several months, never reaching a year.
A few hours later, Javier Saviola was free again.
The Argentine footballer known as “El Conejo” was one of five people arrested over the weekend for alcoholism. A total of five people were arrested for traffic violations with alcohol levels exceeding 0.87 grams of alcohol per litre of blood. The highest reading was 2.77 grams of alcohol per litre of blood. One person also tested positive for drugs in a saliva test.
Saviola played for Benfica from 2009 to 2012. With the Eagles, he won the Portuguese championship title and three League Cups.