Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo brands rape claims a 'piece of fiction'

Real Madrid forward and Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has vehemently denied rape claims published in German newspaper Der Spiegel on Friday (14 April).

The female accuser alleges the football star raped her and then paid £300,000 ($375,660) in a bid to ensure her silence.

Der Spiegel claims the alleged incident took place in 2009, as the former Manchester United star faced a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid.

According to the accuser, Ronaldo offered the settlement sum a year later, in 2010.

The initial claims reportedly stem from a letter written by the woman – then in her 20s – to Ronaldo.

However, the 32-year-old, a four-time Ballon d'Or winner, claims he never received nor knew of the correspondence.

In a strongly worded statement given by his agent, the £80m attacker blasted the allegations as "outrageous and disgusting".

"The German newspaper Der Spiegel today publishes an extensive report on an allegation of rape alleged to have been made to Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009, ie about 8 years ago," the statement began

"And the whole plot is based on unsigned documents and where the parties are identified by codes, in emails between lawyers who do not concern Cristiano Ronaldo and whose authenticity he does not know, and in a supposed letter that would have been sent by the putative victim, but which he never received.

"The report by Der Spiegel is false and Cristiano Ronaldo will act against this media by all means at his fingertips. The imputation of a violation is a disgusting and outrageous accusation that can not be made clear."

It is not the first time Ronaldo has faced rape allegations. In 2005, the then 20-year-old was interviewed by police over claims he raped a woman in the penthouse suite of a luxury London hotel following Manchester United's win over Fulham.

However, no charges were brought and the case was swiftly dropped over insufficient evidence.