South Korean football fans awarded compensation after Cristiano Ronaldo no-show in Juventus friendly

Sitting it out: Cristiano Ronaldo was ruled out due to "muscle fatigue"
AFP via Getty Images
Alex Young @alexwsyoung4 February 2020

Two football fans in South Korea have been awarded compensation after Cristiano Ronaldo did not play for Juventus in a pre-season friendly in Seoul last year.

The Italian giants played a K League All-Stars team in July last year, with match organiser The Fasta Inc publicising ahead of the game that Ronaldo would play at least 45 minutes.

Juventus fielded 20 players during the 3-3 draw, including all three goalkeepers in the tour squad, but Ronaldo sat out the fixture.

Juventus claimed Ronaldo was suffering from "muscle fatigue", with every other player in the squad featuring.

The five-time Ballon d'Or winner had started - and scored - Juventus' two other games in Asia, the 3-2 loss to Tottenham and penalty-shootout win over Inter Milan.

A fan wears a mask of Cristiano Ronaldo of kick-off in Seoul.
AFP via Getty Images

Reuters report that a district court in Incheon, west of Seoul, ordered Fasta to pay 371,000 won (£240) to both fans, consisting of 71,000 won (£46) for the match ticket and 300,000 won (£196) for "mental anguish".

Lawyer Kim Min-ki, who filed the lawsuit, was reportedly also representing 87 other plaintiffs in further cases related to the match.

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