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'I cannot admire this champion': Goalkeeper's girlfriend slams Ronaldo after brutal incident

Cristiano may not have scored on his Juventus debut, but he left Chievo goalkeeper Stefano Sorrentino in a world of pain.

The Portuguese superstar brutally collided with Sorrentino when contesting for the ball, leaving the keeper motionless on the ground.

Sorrentino’s partner Sara Ruggeri was furious at the response from the Juventus players, including Ronaldo himself.

“I tried for hours to keep quiet and focus on what was important, in other words my family,” she wrote in a private post on Instagram.

“However, if champions want to be called champions, they must first of all be HUMAN BEINGS! I’m sorry, but I cannot admire this champion!

Ronaldo has been slammed by Stefano Sorrentino’s partner for his response to the goalkeeper’s injury. Pic: Getty/@steffanosorrentino
Ronaldo has been slammed by Stefano Sorrentino’s partner for his response to the goalkeeper’s injury. Pic: Getty/@steffanosorrentino

“I can admire real men, like my other half who was lying there unconscious and (Nenad) Tomovic trying everything possible to help him!

“Thank you to those who have heart, humanity, dignity and principles! Shame on those who insult, criticise, celebrate or even worse observe and then leave!”

Sorrentino, 39, was hospitalised after losing consciousness on the pitch following his clash with the five-time Ballon d’Or winner in the 87th minute of his team’s 3-2 defeat to champions Juventus.

The veteran received treatment before being transported to Verona’s Borgo Trento Hospital where he spent the night under observation.

Despite his partner’s outrage over the incident, the Chievo keeper managed to find the funny side from the situation.

“THANK YOU for all your messages of affection and respect,” Sorrentino posted on Twitter on Sunday.

The collision between Ronaldo and Sorrentino that knocked the goalkeeper out. Pic: Getty
The collision between Ronaldo and Sorrentino that knocked the goalkeeper out. Pic: Getty

“We are a fantastic squad and yesterday we had a brush with greatness: meanwhile, CR7 didn’t so much brush me as get a bullseye!”

Sorrentino said he felt pride at having prevented Ronaldo from scoring, despite suffering a broken nose and being hospitalised as a result.

“He is a champion with a capital ‘C’ who can decide matches at any moment,” Sorrentino told Sky Sport Italia.

“Before the game I told myself that I should try to stop him in any way I could.

Chievo said in a statement that Sorrentino suffered a “nasal bone fracture, contusive trauma to the left shoulder and cervical whiplash.”

“I only found out that the clash was with Cristiano Ronaldo, because I don’t remember anything of what happened after going to get the ball only that someone put his hands in my mouth to take out my tongue and then slowly I began to regain consciousness.

“Usually it is him to take a foul, I can say that I’m one of the few to have taken a foul from him!” Sorrentino joked.

Ronaldo came over to see what was happening and moved away as the medical staff tried to revive the Chievo goalkeeper.

The 33-year-old former Real Madrid player posted a photo of himself in the gym the day after the match with the caption: “Buona Domenica” (Have a nice Sunday).

Meanwhile, Paulo Dybala apologised for celebrating Mario Mandzukic’s Juventus’ goal with captain Giorgio Chiellini as Sorrentino lay unconscious, before the VAR ruled it out.

Dybala wroted on Instagram: “You’re right! I didn’t realise what was happening at that moment. I was wrong.”

with AFP.