Cristiano Ronaldo donates five ventilators to hospitals in Portugal to help fight against coronavirus
CRISTIANO RONALDO has donated five ventilators to Portuguese hospitals and taken a pay cut as some of football’s biggest names continue to rally round in the fight against coronavirus.
The Juventus superstar had earlier teamed up with agent Jorge Mendes to pay for medical supplies after returning from worst-hit country Italy to his homeland to care for his sick mum and then self-isolate.
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Now health chiefs in his home town Madeira say the former Manchester United and Real Madrid attacker has stepped in to help again.
Ronaldo was criticised by ex-Juve chairman Giovanni Cobolli Gigli for setting a bad example by posing for pool pictures in his plush property – while families around the world endure far more austere conditions due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
But there is no doubting the 35-year-old is a force for good when it comes to his generosity and thoughfulness for many causes.
Apart from helping individuals in need, he has sold off some of his major gongs for charity and in April 2015 gave £5million to relief efforts after the Nepal earthquake.
Meanwhile, Barcelona icon Lionel Messi and Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola have each donated around £914,000 to tackling coronavirus, helping Spain tackle its surge in cases.
Now Tuttosport say Ronaldo, skipper Giorgio Chiellini, legendary keeper Gianluigi Buffon and Leonardo Bonucci have agreed pay cuts at Juve after Serie A was suspended along with play in all of Europe’s other main footballing nations.
The Italian champions have been one of the major European clubs most directly affected by Covid-19.
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That’s because team-mates Daniele Rugani, Blaise Matuidi and Paulo Dybala all tested positive.
Juventus president Andrea Agnelli even claims fast-spreading coronavirus is football’s “biggest challenge ever”.
He said: “We are faced with a real existential threat.
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“As football is now at a standstill, so are our revenue flows on which we are dependent to pay our players, staff and other operating costs.
“No one is immune and timing is of the essence. Meeting our concerns will be the biggest challenge our game and industry has ever faced.”
Agnelli added that “very active” discussions will include how to apply Uefa’a Financial Fair Play “framework” once leagues resume action.