Real Madrid have announced their intention to set up the Santiago Bernabeu stadium as a hub for storing medical supplies, and for organisations and businesses to make monetary or material donations in the ongoing fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
Spain has been hit hard by the Covid-19 outbreak, with reports on Thursday putting the number of confirmed cases over 56,000, with fatalities now having breached the 4,000 mark.
As a result of the aggressive spread, Spain extended their countrywide lockdown until at April 12 at the earliest.
With football on hold for the foreseeable future, various clubs and players have been making donations or personal sacrifices to do their bit in the fight against the illness, and Madrid's latest gesture should go some way to helping curb the spread in and around the Spanish capital.
A statement released on Thursday read: “Real Madrid, in collaboration with the High Council for Sport (CSD), has launched a project in Madrid to supply and distribute strategic medical supplies to be used in the battle against the Covid-19 pandemic.
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“As a result of the close collaboration between the two institutions, the Santiago Bernabeu will offer a space that is equipped to store the donations of medical supplies required in the fight against this pandemic.
“All of the stored supplies will be passed on to the Spanish health authorities, under the authority of the Spanish government, so that the resources, so necessary in the current health emergency situation, are employed in the best and most efficient manner.
“In addition, Real Madrid will provide a facility for organisations and businesses, particularly those belonging to the sports sector, to leave money or material donations that they wish to make to the Ministry of Health. This initiative is in addition to those which, pursuing similar outreach aims, may be established by the government.
“Through the mechanisms already in place and under the constant supervision of the lead medical supplies centre in the Madrid town of Valdemoro, the Ministry of Health will be responsible for allocating the donations to the centres and organisations in greatest need.
“The contact telephone number of this large medical supplies centre at the Santiago Bernabéu is 900 100 688.
“The centre can also be contacted via the following email address: Covid19donaciones@corp.realmadrid.com.
“Donations can be made to the following current account, which belongs to the Real Madrid Foundation: ES17 2100 5731 7802 0032 0934 (Caixabank).”