Soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo’s mother has publicly backed the Juventus star over the rape claims against him, saying that accuser Kathryn Mayorga “wasn’t there to play cards” when she went to the player’s Las Vegas hotel suite in 2009.

Portugal superstar Ronaldo is accused of raping Mayorga in a penthouse at the Palms Casino Resort in June 2009 after a night spent partying, and of later paying her $375,000 in hush money.

Ronaldo’s mother Dolores Aveiro said earlier this week at a PR event in Lisbon her son is not guilty. 

“I have confidence in my son when it comes to what happened,” she said, according to Marca. “When she went there, it wasn’t to play cards. It was to do something. I know the son I have.”

After the news initially emerged last year of Mayorga’s claims against Ronaldo, his mother posted a cartoon-style picture of the former Real Madrid star with a Superman cape, along with hashtags including “#Justice for CR7.”

The case into the rape allegations against Ronaldo was formally reopened by Las Vegas police last year. 

Mayorga is said to have been moved by the #MeToo campaign, and is seeking justice after continuing to suffer trauma over the alleged ordeal.  

Hopefully Ronaldo’s motherly instincts about her son’s innocence turn out to be right. 

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