Dinamo Zagreb's Arijan Ademi banned for four years for drugs test

Arijan Ademi won three caps for Croatia before switching allegiance to Macedonia

Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Arijan Ademi has been banned for four years for failing a drugs test following the Champions League win over Arsenal.

The 24-year-old Macedonia international played the full 90 minutes of the shock victory in Zagreb on 16 September.

Ademi said: "I am not guilty and I didn't do anything wrong. I don't know what to say about this suspension. I feel awful right now."

Coach Zoran Mamic said the club will appeal and called it a "humiliation".

Mamic told the Zagreb website: "Ademi and experts proved his supplement was infected with a prohibited substance and he didn't know what kind of supplement he was using.

"That is why I can't understand this decision made by Uefa.

"A four-year suspension is a stupidity. How would Uefa punish Arsenal, Bayern, Manchester or some other big club?

"We will fight for him and for his case because Ademi is a brilliant young guy, player and a vice-captain.

"We want to protect him, protect the club and Croatian football in general, because this is a huge stain for all of us."

There are no rules to disqualify teams from the Champions League unless at least two players fail drugs tests.