Messi Donates €1m to Barcelona Hospital Fighting Coronavirus

Lionel Messi has made a reported donation of €1 million (£920,000/$1.08 million) to Hospital Clinic, a public hospital in Barcelona, to help combat the coronavirus pandemic.

The hospital confirmed Messi had made a donation on their official Twitter page, with Mundo Deportivo reporting the €1m figure.

Messi's donation will be split between two medical centres: Hospital Clinic in Barcelona and another in his native Rosario, Argentina.

Such a donation would match that of Messi’s former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola, who has given €1m towards the purchase and production of medical supplies and equipment with another Barcelona-based campaign.

A general statement from Hospital Clinic reads: “The Covid-19 pandemic is a health challenge that is being worked on with maximum coordination and effective healthcare, but it is also necessary to face the disease from the scientific perspective.

“The Clinic teams are committed to this fight and we appreciate all the donations that come our way.

“We will dedicate it to the multidisciplinary approach to infection with the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, both in terms of research, and in the care of patients and their families.

“The exceptional nature of the situation means that the institution will allocate the funds received to meet the identified needs and priorities.

“As always, in order to be transparent, the clinic will communicate to its donors in due course specifically where their donations have been allocated, how they have been used, and what the results have been.

“Each and every one of the contributions are important and add up.

“On behalf of all the Clinic workers, thank you!”

Cristiano Ronaldo and agent Jorge Mendes have also donated €1m to fund intensive care units in hospitals in Lisbon and Porto. (Goal)