Italian champions Juventus on Thursday said rape allegations against Cristiano Ronaldo do not change their opinion of their superstar player.
The Portuguese striker “has shown in recent months his great professionalism and dedication, which is appreciated by everyone at Juventus”, the team said on Twitter, breaking their silence over the claims made by an American model.
“The events allegedly dating back to almost 10 years ago do not change this opinion, which is shared by anyone who has come into contact with this great champion.”
Juventus later posted a video on YouTube and Twitter showing Ronaldo working up a sweat as he trained with his teammates at the team’s Continassa centre in Turin for Saturday’s league game against Udinese.
“Juventus go for goal. Cristiano Ronaldo finds the target!” read the caption beside the video.
The defending Serie A champions’ tweets were widely panned on social media as “shockingly dismissive and insensitive”.
Meanwhile, Juventus shares fell over five percent on the Italian stock exchange. Ronaldo’s move from Real Madrid to Juventus in the summer gave the Italian champions a huge boost, both on and off the field, as they continue their elusive bid for a first Champions League title since 1996. On September 20, shares rose 180 percent to a record level of over 1.80 euros.
But the Italian champions woke up to the sobering news on Friday that over five percent had been wiped off the value of their shares after the Milan stock exchange opened. At midday on Friday they were worth 1.25 euro a share.
Whatever the legal outcome, this is awful from Juventus: pic.twitter.com/3ZDNkscTdx
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) October 5, 2018
Weirdly, terribly casual statement from Juventus on the allegations made against Cristiano Ronaldo. Doesn't even come across as the usual corporate, brand-sensitive legal-ese. Just seems terribly dismissive, which is not a good look https://t.co/nBiHUL5lm1
— Oliver Kay (@OliverKayTimes) October 4, 2018
"It was ages ago, and in any case he sometimes stays back and does extra training, so it's all fine..." pic.twitter.com/tQF25Mn7Ui
— Nick Miller (@NickMiller79) October 4, 2018
So while Portugal leaves Cristiano Ronaldo off the national team and Nike calls the rape allegations against him "disturbing," Juventus responds by... backing their 80 million Euro investment unequivocally. pic.twitter.com/MHS2eNwUbQ
— Joshua Robinson (@JoshRobinson23) October 4, 2018
Juventus is saying their favourite hero is so professional and dedicated, that they would let him get away with rape. Well done on facilitating a culture of sexual violence!
— Priyansh (@GarrulousBoy) October 4, 2018
Whoever framed this statement should be sacked. And everybody else in Juventus' boardroom, for complicity https://t.co/cgt9BZAK43
After receiving huge flak for their clusterfuck of a statement, Juventus' response is to RT something about the women's team and then a video of Ronaldo training. Dear me. pic.twitter.com/9iaB3lOZU2
— Daniel Storey (@danielstorey85) October 4, 2018
‘It was ages ago - plus he trains really hard and has won loads of stuff.’
— Will Carpenter (@BristolSportWKC) October 4, 2018
The absolute state of Juventus’ statement. Disgraceful and dangerously dismissive.
That Juventus statement is truly disgraceful. When Sunderland defended Adam Johnson they did so in the belief he was innocent. Juve have literally said Ronaldo is too good a player for them to care.
— Luca Gunby (@Gunbyzono) October 4, 2018
Honestly, Juventus made it 10x worse with that statement.
— NAZ (@FCNazalona) October 4, 2018
The sheer tone deafness of this response from Juventus, its first statement on this matter, is amazing.
— John Molinaro (@JohnMolinaro) October 4, 2018
Regardless of whether Ronaldo is guilty or innocent, this is a shocking statement from Juventus. May as well have said 'we don't really give a shit'. Amazed they've released this. #Juventus #Ronaldo pic.twitter.com/N9YnqrIgOi
— Daniel Scuffil (@DanielScuffil) October 4, 2018
No wonder Ronaldo chose Juventus. They fit perfectly well. This incredibly embarrassing statement says it all. pic.twitter.com/a15HyqEk1X
— Ekrem Idrizi (@EkremIdrizi) October 4, 2018
Me: saying he's better than Messi is the worst Ronaldo take of all time
— Sophie Levin (@sophielevin11) October 4, 2018
Juventus: hold my Peroni pic.twitter.com/RC163ioe7x
“No one who speaks German could be an evil man”
— John O'Sullivan (@NotoriousJOS) October 4, 2018
Juventus’ statement on Ronaldo, basically pic.twitter.com/hShqiUkXIK
People are shocked Juventus came out with such a statement, they fixed an entire league looool, this is nothing to them
— Meech (@Hustler_Futbol) October 4, 2018
With inputs from AFP