Cristiano Ronaldo accused of rape by American woman, Juventus star's lawyers to sue publication

Lisbon, Sep 29: Star footballer Cristiano Ronaldo's lawyer on Friday (September 28) claimed he's going to sue German magazine Der Spiegel for publishing 'blatantly illegal' accusations by an American woman who has alleged sexual assault by the Portugal star in 2009.

As per media reports, the Juventus striker's agent Gestifute did not answer any specific questions about the content of the Der Spiegel report.

Ronaldo's lawyer Christian Schertz in a statement said it was "an inadmissible reporting of suspicions in the area of privacy", and that he would seek legal redress for his client from the magazine.

Ronaldo, who is often hailed as one of greatest footballers of all times, joined Juventus from Real Madrid this summer for 100 million euros. The 33-year-old striker has been awarded the Ballon d'Or five times and took his former team Real Madrid to three consecutive Champions League title.

Statement from Cristiano Ronaldo's lawyer over a DER SPIEGEL report in which a woman alleges Ronaldo anally raped her in a Las Vegas hotel in 2009.

Lawyer calls report "blatantly illegal" – adding it is "unlawful to reproduce this reporting." Statement does not deny allegations. pic.twitter.com/H2YePrEBQ2

— Andrew V. Pestano (@AVPLive9) September 28, 2018

The Italian club, however, has declined to comment on the Der Spiegel report.

He has been named the player of the year five times and transferred to Juventus from Real Madrid this summer for 100 million euros. The Italian club declined to comment on the Der Spiegel report.

The German magazine has claimed that the rape allegedly took place in June 2009 in a hotel room in Las Vegas, according to Leslie Mark Stovall, the lawyer for the alleged victim, Kathryn Mayorga.

Ronaldo and Mayorga then reached an out-of-court agreement, according to Stovall as reported in the magazine.

According to Stovall, that she had pledged never to speak of the accusation again and Ronaldo paid her $375,000.

"Kathryn was sexually assaulted in June 2009 by an individual named Cristiano Ronaldo," Mayorga's lawyer, Leslie Mark Stovall, said in a video published online by Der Spiegel.