A report by Spanish news outlet Marca which suggested that Cristiano Ronaldo's Pestana CR7 Lifestyle Hotels in Portugal could become hospitals where coronavirus cases will be treated has been labeled as false. Saturday's claim by the publication indicated that the supposed makeshift medical facility will be operational in the coming week where patients will be subjected to free treatment.
Earlier this week, a report emerged that Ronaldo had refused to fly back to Italy and join his Juventus teammates having been granted the permission to visit his mother who suffered a stroke in Madeira last week. The former Real Madrid star's decision came as a result of the news confirming that his teammate Daniele Rugani had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. In wake of this development, the forward remained in self-isolation with his family in Portugal as he had shared a dressing room with the Italian international during last Sunday's 2-0 win over Inter Milan.
On Saturday evening, Marca reported that Ronaldo was eager to assist his home-country Portugal with relief initiatives for individuals who have contracted the coronavirus. In effect, the Spanish publication's narrative affirmed that the 35-year-old Juventus forward was offering his Pestana CR7 Lifestyle Hotels to be used as temporary hospitals to treat victims of the pandemic. The treatment to be administered were also purportedly going to be free of charge with all the bills paid for by the Portuguese national team captain. The salaries of the doctors, nurses and all the hospital staff were also supposed to be paid by the player.
Nevertheless, the report has since been branded as fake with the former Real Madrid player and his camp yet to issue an offical statement supporting Marca's claim. The Spanish publication has since removed the news article from its website and social media pages.
Reported as fake in Portugal, in the meantime deleted by Marca (who made it a viral story). https://t.co/Iq7QAkDImD
— Kristof Terreur (@HLNinEngeland) March 15, 2020
Apparently MARCA edited the news which they published earlier that Ronaldo turned his hotels in to Hospitals. Not only did they delete their Insta/twitter posts but if you click on that link it is showing a report about Corona affected people in Italy. pic.twitter.com/Hv9mopENOT
— RAM (@MeticulousViews) March 15, 2020
So far, Ronaldo has only shared a message of caution and support to his followers on social media with the coronavirus crisis still on a rise. On Saturday, he wrote on Instagram page: "The world is going through a very difficult moment which demands the utmost care and attention from all of us.
"I speak to you today not as a football player, but as a son, father, a human being concerned with the latest developments that is affecting the whole world.
"It is important we all follow the advice of WHO (World Health Organization) and the governing bodies on how we handle this current situation. Protecting human life must come above any other interests.
"I would like to send my thoughts to everyone who has lost someone close to them, my solidarity to those who are fighting the virus, like my teammate Daniele Rugani, and my continued support to the amazing health professionals putting their own lives at risk to save others."
