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With almost all football postponed for the next month because of the coronavirus pandemic, star players have found themselves at a loose end.
Jump to: Ronaldo bought iMacs | Want a virtual Bratwurst?
With many training grounds off-limits, clubs have sent footballers home, where they’re adhering to an isolation period for the next few weeks. How are they passing the time?
ESPN will be keeping a daily eye on what the world’s best are getting up to, as well as how clubs are keeping busy by battling in online competitions against each other.
Lazio striker Immobile decided to play an adorable little prank on his baby son, who thought he was getting a morsel of delicious supper only to be cruelly denied (twice!) by his father.
Over in Manchester, England midfielder Lingard was keeping himself trim with a gym session beside his home pool.
With the gloves off for once, Juventus legend Buffon ventured outside to sink a few buckets during a lively game of basketball with his kids.
The Ronaldo family gathered together in the gym (where else?) to welcome mother Dolores back into the fold this weekend after a short stay in hospital.
The Real Madrid forward did his reputation no favours at all by donning his sunglasses and dancing around to a Justin Bieber song.
6. Toni Kroos
As part of his ongoing series of home challenges, Real Madrid star Kroos demonstrated his impeccable ball control by scoring a “living-room goal” from a near-impossible angle.
Obviously starting to miss football quite intensely, Boateng (who plays at Turkish side Besiktas on loan from Fiorentina) decided to stage his own Champions League match at home with the family, including the anthem.
8. Anthony Taylor
And finally a nod for Premier League referee Anthony Taylor, who has registered as an NHS volunteer to help out wherever needed during the coronavirus crisis.
9. Ronaldinho
Less about being in isolation over the coronavirus, more about being in prison, but Brazil legend Ronaldinho has been enjoying some foot/volleyball.
Happy Sunday – here is Ronaldinho playing “piki volley” in Paraguayan prison. pic.twitter.com/SLfTbj93IU
— Ralph Hannah (@paraguayralph) March 29, 2020
Cristiano Ronaldo bought iMacs for teammates
Juventus goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny has revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo bought all of his teammates iMac computers as punishment for being sent off in the club’s Champions League group game against Valencia in September 2018.
Speaking on his own podcast “Prosto w Szczene,” Scczesny said the changing room rules are that if a Juve player is sent off in a game he must offer a gift to his colleagues and to the club workers as redemption. Ronaldo did come through, albeit two months late.
“Yes, we all have an iMac,” Szczesny revealed. ‘It took a very long time because he couldn’t process that red card and insisted high and low that he was not doing anything wrong. It took him a while, about two months of arguing, but we all have received an iMac.”
Want a virtual Bratwurst?
German fourth-tier club Rot-Weiss Essen have raised over €100,000 for a virtual match against the coronavirus.
RW Essen, German champions in 1955, are among those hit hard by the coronavirus crisis and the suspension of all domestic leagues in the country. They could lose up to €2.5m if the season is cancelled completely and they would also miss out on a return to the third tier as they currently sit second in the regional fourth division — enough to land a place in the promotion playoffs.
Der Zwischenstand zum Wochenende! #VirtuellesHeimspiel 👉 https://t.co/0OZpWiHGGa pic.twitter.com/BsbTQOyN8N
— Rot-Weiss Essen (@rot_weiss_essen) March 29, 2020
To soften the financial blow for the club, Essen created a virtual match day with “nothing less but a sold out Hafenstrasse” (their ground) named as the top goal on the club’s website.
Up until Sunday a total of, 6,493 beers, 3,212 tickets plus 17 VIP tickets and 2,665 Bratwursts were sold for the virtual matchday. Prices range from €148.75 for a VIP ticket to just €4 for a beer and €2.50 for a Bratwurst.