I was Cristiano Ronaldo’s team-mate and suffered sickening head injury… he stayed at hospital all night with my family

FORMER Real Madrid defender Pepe has revealed that Cristiano Ronaldo erstwhile stayed with him astatine the infirmary each nighttime erstwhile helium suffered a superior injury.

The duo spent 8 years unneurotic astatine Real Madrid successful the highest of their careers.

They besides enjoyed astir 2 decades playing alongside each different for the Portuguese nationalist squad and became adjacent friends arsenic a result.

Now, recently-retired Pepe has opened up astir the clip Ronaldo went supra and beyond to enactment him and his family.

During a lucifer against Valencia successful 2012, the defender collided with goalkeeper Iker Casillas and was rushed to infirmary with a superior caput injury.

He spent the nighttime nether supervision and received enactment from his team-mate, who stayed with his household for the full duration.

Speaking to Portuguese vigor web Renascenca, Pepe said: "Look, I person a infinitesimal with Cris that volition ne'er permission my memory. Even though I mislaid my memory, I missed a portion of that game.

"It was successful the archetypal crippled of the title against Valencia. I got deed by Iker, I cracked my caput unfastened and went to the hospital.

"I inactive played successful the crippled [before that]. There were 5 minutes left, I came connected aft half-time and, that's it, from past connected I don't retrieve thing else.

"I retrieve that erstwhile I woke up the adjacent time successful the hospital, I was inactive wearing my Real Madrid kit tied to the bed.

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"Afterwards, I went to inquire my household what had happened, to my wife, who was 5 days distant from having my oldest daughter, Angeli, and connected the quality I saw that Cris had been determination successful the hospital!

"And I didn't adjacent announcement him! And then, of course, my parent was there, besides disquieted due to the fact that she had travel to spot the commencement of my daughter, my parent and my father.

"Cris was determination practically the full nighttime with me, with my family. Not with me, with my family, due to the fact that I was successful the room.

"But helium was there, giving maine spot and immoderate of the comments helium made conscionable amusement the affection we person for each other."

Pepe announced his status from football past August, putting an extremity to his 22-year playing career.

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