Ruud Van Nistelrooy Responds To Fabio Capello’s Comments About Real Madrid’s Dressing Room In 2007

Yesterday, Fabio Capello spoke about Real Madrid’s dressing room in the 2006 - 2007 season. Among some of the standout quotes, this one raised eyebrows:

“Once Ruud Van Nistelrooy said to me ‘coach, the dressing room smells like alcohol.”

Capello has been known to make some strange quotes in the last few years. In November of 2019, after Juventus defeated AC Milan 1 - 0 and Cristiano Ronaldo was angry upon being subbed off, Capello said: “(Ronaldo) hasn’t dribbled past anyone for years.”

In response to Capello’s comments about Real Madrid’s dressing room, Ruud Van Nistelrooy took to Twitter today to state:

“According to statements attributed to Fabio Capello, pointing out that I once told him that the Real Madrid dressing room “smelled of alcohol”, I want to categorically refute such claims. The dressing room from day one showed the utmost professionalism.”

It’s unclear where the truth lies exactly, but it’s easy to lean with Ruud, who’s a very a respectable figure; and Capello has been senile with his comments of late. One thing to give Capello the benefit of the doubt: He had issues with Ronaldo Nazario, and did in fact couch one of the most notorious partiers around in Antonio Cassano that season.