Earlier today, reports emerged online that football icons Ronaldinho and Juan Roman Riquelme offered their services to Chapecoense, the club rocked by the horrible plane crash where only three of their players survived.
Teams from across South America offered Chape players to help the bereaved club get back on their feet, as well as a proposal being made to have them exempt from relegation for three years.
Then the story that two of football's most gifted players were going to play for the club was doing the rounds. Artur Petrosyan, a Russian football expert who contributes to The Guardian, New York Times, BBC, CNN and Sky Sports, was one of many to have tweeted the news.
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According to The Mirror's Ed Malyon, Riquelme's representatives have denied the story:
The retired Argentine hero is said to be willing to help Chape in some way, shape or form though- which is also the case with Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldinho.
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The former Barcelona talisman's brother Roberto Assis, who also acts as his agent, says Ronaldinho has made no proposal to playing for the club for free but is very much open to helping the club out if he can.
Speaking to Globo Esporte, he said:
"It's a very difficult time, it's all happened now. But as far as we are concerned, we will help. I do not know if it would be in a game or with a link. Going forward forward, if there is contact, we can talk.
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"It excites us the fact that Ronaldinho's name is remembered to help and it makes us think. I can only say that we are here and we want to help."
(h/t 101 Great Goals)
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Ronaldinho, Barcelona, Chapecoense