'Operation Puerto' was the name given to a raid on the premises of Fuentes in May 2006. Madrid police uncovered bags of blood and doping products, along with codenames of cyclists and documents which pointed to organised doping.

Real Madrid spokesman Miguel Angel Arroyo said at a press conference the legal proceedings would be set in motion formally at a Madrid court on Thursday.

Arroyo said Le Monde "published quotes which were attributed to Dr Eufemiano Fuentes, who later denied them, and therefore the final responsibility lay with the media which used them and the journalist who published them."

Le Monde claimed in its December 8 edition last year that four Spanish clubs, including Barcelona and Madrid, were linked with the blood-doping scandal. The clubs vehemently denied the allegations.