Ronaldo and Juventus Continue Legal Fight Over Deferred Salary
Cristiano Ronaldo and Juventus remain in a long-running legal dispute over unpaid wages linked to the Covid period. Two decisions have favored Ronaldo, with around €9.8 million plus interest awarded, but Juventus has appealed and is waiting for a hearing date. The case centers on an alleged deferred payment of €19.5 million in gross salary that was not recorded in the club's financial statements.
The dispute traces to pandemic-era arrangements between Juventus and its squad, when some monthly pay was said to be waived to soften Covid-19’s financial blow. A 2021 document, referred to as the “Ronaldo card,” outlined a €19.5 million gross salary deferral for Cristiano Ronaldo. That amount allegedly never appeared in club accounts, and Prisma investigation wiretaps suggested the written deal was not supposed to exist. The document surfaced after Ronaldo sued in 2023, but lacked his signature, so the parties turned to arbitration.
Two rulings have gone Ronaldo’s way, awarding about €9.8 million plus interest and revaluation. Juventus has appealed and awaits a hearing date.
Count words. First paragraph: The(1) dispute2 traces3 to4 pandemic-era5 arrangements6 between7 Juventus8 and9 its10 squad11, when12 some13 monthly14 pay15 was16 said17 to18 be19 waived20 to21 soften22 Covid-19’s23 financial24 blow25. A26 2021 document27, referred28 to29 as30 the31 “Ronaldo32 card,”33 outlined34 a35 €19.5 million36 gross37 salary38 deferral39 for40 Cristiano41 Ronaldo42. That43 amount44 allegedly45 never46 appeared47 in48 club49 accounts50, and51 Prisma52 investigation53 wiretaps54 suggested55 the56 written57 deal58 was59 not60 supposed61 to62 exist63. The64 document65 surfaced66 after67 Ronaldo68 sued69 in70 2023, but71 lacked72 his73 signature74, so75 the76 parties77 turned78 to79 arbitration80. Second: Two81 rulings82 have83 gone84 Ronaldo’s85 way86, awarding87 about88 €9.8 million89
". Plain text. Good. Need maybe "under 120 words total" for expanded. We have 101. Good. "2 short paragraphs" yes. Context under 90. Good. Need ensure no source phrasing copied. Let's check phrases: "pandemic-era arrangements" not source. "monthly pay was said to be waived" source "alleged fictitious forgoing of some monthly salaries" okay. "soften Covid-19’s financial blow" source "cope with pandemic and financial impact" okay. "€19.5 million gross salary deferral" source "deferred payment of €19.5 million as player's gross salary" okay. "never appeared in club accounts" source "never recorded in financial statements" okay. "Prisma investigation wiretaps suggested the written deal was not supposed to exist" source "wiretaps related to Prisma investigation revealed that written agreement theoretically shouldn't exist" okay. "lacked his signature" source "player's signatures were missing" okay. "turned to arbitration" source "agreeing to an arbitration" okay. "Two rulings have gone Ro