South Korean football fans are reportedly seeking compensation from match organizers after Cristiano Ronaldo failed to take to the pitch for Juventus in a pre-season friendly in Seoul last week.
Organizers are said to have promised Korean fans that the Portuguese superstar would play some part in the pre-season match between a K League All Stars XI and Juventus in front of a packed stadium in Seoul, but Ronaldo did not feature.
According to the CEO of The Fasta, Robin Chang, whose company organized the match: “When I went to argue with Nedved, the vice president of Juventus, all he said was ‘I also wish Ronaldo ran, but he doesn’t want to. Sorry, there’s nothing I can do.’ I was so frustrated.”
Chang told local broadcaster SBS that the contract stipulated Ronaldo play 45 minutes, with his company later issuing a statement that Juventus had broken their contractual obligation by the forward not featuring in the 3-3 draw.
Juve boss Maurizio Sarri explained: “Ronaldo was expected to play, but he wasn't fit due to muscle fatigue.”
The lawsuit is said to be seeking compensation for the price of the match ticket as well as 1 million won ($846) per person in “mental anguish.”
Lawyer Kim Min-ki is currently representing a number of disgruntled fans but with some 65,000 attending the game, victory in the case could lead to claims of almost $60 million.
According to the Korean Herald, Juventus received 3.5 billion won for the friendly.
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