Ex Barcelona Star Accuses Real Madrid of Cheating to Win Two Champions League Titles

• Arturo Vidal has said that VAR was introduced to stop Real Madrid from "fixing games" in the Champions League
• The former Barcelona man has said that Madrid "cheated" in the 2017 and 2018 seasons in the UCL
• Madrid won three straight UCLs from 2016 to 2018

In 2018, Real Madrid became the first team in history to win the UEFA Champions League three consecutive times. It was their 13th Champions League crown and fourth in five seasons.

In all those three seasons, they weren't as dominant as the Barcelona of 2011, but they found a way to win under Zinedine Zidane and an unstoppable Cristiano Ronaldo. Former Barcelona and Bayern Munich midfielder, Arturo Vidal has now said that Madrid's titles in 2017 and 2018 were "not clean".

After beating Atletico Madrid in the 2014 final, Madrid lifted their first UCL trophy since the 2001/2002 season. Sergio Ramos' 93rd-minute equalizer forced extra time, and they sealed a 4-1 win. In 2015, Luis Enrique and Barcelona were not to be denied a treble.

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With their front three of Neymar, Lionel Messi, and Luis Suarez, they dominated European football, vanquishing some of the best teams along the way to win the European crown. Interestingly, Barca have not won a UCL trophy since then.

In the following three seasons, Madrid and Zidane were unstoppable in Europe. They beat Atletico (2016), Juventus (2017), and Liverpool (2018) to complete their historic three-peat. Vidal feels like the last two wins are tainted.

Vidal accuses Madrid of "cheating"

Speaking to TNT Sports Argentina, the former Juventus midfielder says that the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) was introduced to stop Real Madrid from fixing games in the competitions.

"Real Madrid were favoured by the referee twice in their 3-peat, when they beat Bayern Munich in 2017 and 2018. Everyone saw it. I think that's why they then introduced VAR, they couldn't fix the games like that anymore," he said, via Barca Universal.

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Vidal's Bayern were beaten by Madrid in the quarter-final in the 2016/17 season. The Spanish side won 6-3 on aggregate, with Ronaldo scoring a hat-trick in the second leg.

Vidal was given a second yellow and his marching orders in the 84th minute, and Bayern couldn't stop Madrid in extra time.

Madrid beat Bayern again in the semi-final in the 2017/18 season Champions League. Bayern lost 1-2 in the first leg at home, then drew 2-2 at the Santiago Bernabeu to lose the tie on aggregate.

Vidal played for Madrid's arch-enemies Barcelona and played for them for two seasons, winning a La Liga title.

Vidal eats humble pie

Sports Brief earlier reported on Vidal eating humble pie after he fired off a warning to Madrid after his side, Flamengo, won the 2022 Copa Libertadores.

However, Flamengo were dumped out of the 2023 Club World Cup in February before facing the European champions.

They were beaten in the semi-final by the Saudi Pro League's Al-Hilal, who were beaten in the final by Madrid.