Cristiano Ronaldo has "firmly denied" an allegation of rape made against him amid the reopening of an investigation from 2009 by US police.
German media outlet Der Spiegel reported on Friday that American woman Kathryn Mayorga had claimed Ronaldo sexually assaulted her in a hotel room nine years ago.
Las Vegas police subsequently reopened an investigation into the case, at the request of Ms Mayorga.
Ronaldo has now released a statement on the matter, after his legal team, per the BBC, said that they would sue Der Spiegel for "illegal" reporting.
"I firmly deny the accusations being issued against me," the Juventus striker said.
"Rape is an abominable crime that goes against everything that I am and believe in.
"Keen as I may be to clear my name, I refuse to feed the media spectacle created by people seeking to promote themselves at my expense."
