Former Italian football star Dino Baggio called for an investigation into the nature of the nutritional supplements the players were taking, days after the death of his colleague Gianluca Vialli.

Vialli died on January 6, after suffering from pancreatic cancer, something Baggio still does not understand until now, according to the Spanish newspaper "Marca".

The newspaper confirmed that Dino Baggio, 51, has not yet believed Vialli's death, whose causes raise great concerns among the former star of Juventus and Parma.

Habla Dino Baggio tras the muerte de su amigo Vialli: "Yo también tengo miedo, le está pasando a demasiados jugadores" https://t.co/QqpEtwwUg1

— Marca (@marca) January 17, 2023

Baggio opened the door to talk about Vialli's "early" death from his point of view, stressing that he now feared for his life, hinting at the possibility that steroids could be a reason for his friend's departure.

"We left Vialli early," Baggio said. "We must check the material we took during that period" (during his professional career).

He added, "We have always used steroids, so I need to understand whether some supplements cause health damage over time. I am also afraid, this happens to many players."

He explained: "The substances we were taking at that time should be investigated. I don't know if this is the reason, but stimulants have always been there. We have to find out if some supplements work for you or against you."

And Baggio added, "There are many former players who suffered from health problems at an early age. In my period there was doping. We did not eat strange things, but we have to know whether our bodies expel that over time or remain inside it?"

Gianluca Vialli died at the age of 51 (Getty Images)

Baggio praised Vialli's qualities, as they played together in the ranks of Juventus, and said, "I have wonderful memories with Gianluca. He was a real man in the dressing room, and helped young players grow and develop. I was with him when I was 21 years old, and he always spoke kind words."

Dino Baggio's career continued in the stadiums for 16 years, during which he played for Turin, Juventus, Inter, Parma and Lazio, and retired with the Triestina shirt.

During this trip, Baggio won 7 titles, 3 of which were the European Cup Winners' Cup (2 with Parma and 1 with Juventus), and an eighth title with the Italian youth team, when he won the European Nations Cup in 1992.