Lionel Messi is reportedly ready to pay a whopping sum to the Paraguayan authorities to sanction Ronaldinho’s release from a prison in the country. Ronaldinho, who along with his brother Roberto Assis was arrested in Paraguay for possessing a fake passport, has been in jail for a week now and according to reports his former Barcelona teammate Messi has rushed to his help and is working on getting the 39-year-old football superstar out of the prison. Ronaldinho was arrested by the Paraguayan police on March 06, 2020, and was produced on the court the very next day where the judge ordered the footballer and his brother-cum-agent to remain in prison while the investigation is on. Ronaldinho in Jail Poses for Pictures and Smiles As He Gets Used to Life in Paraguayan Prison after Arrest over Possessing Fake Passport.

According to a report from 90Min, Messi is ready to pay as high as €4 million and bring together a company of four lawyers to fight Ronaldinho’s forgery case and get the footballer released from jail. The Barcelona and Argentine talisman has reportedly agreed to part with a whopping €4 million to get his former Barcelona released from prison. Reports claim that the six-time Ballon d’Or will bring together a group four lawyers to fight his former teammate’s case in Paraguay.

Ronaldinho and Messi first met during their time at Barcelona. Messi was still part of the La Masia academy then and had joined the club’s first-team as a 16-year-old where Ronaldinho took Messi under his wing and mentored him into becoming a great footballer. The pair has since remained good friends. In fact, Messi first senior club goal at Barcelona was assisted by Ronaldinho in 2005 and the Brazilian had also won his first and only Ballon d’Or that year.

Meanwhile, Ronaldinho is currently placed at the Agrupacion Especializada prison in Asuncion, Paraguay with his brother and was recently pictured playing the Futsal tournament inside the prison. Earlier, Ronaldinho was pictured in prison on his very first day. He was seen smiling, singing and signing photographs inside the prison.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 14, 2020 08:55 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).