RIO DE JANEIRO: Real Madrid's Brazilian midfielder Casemiro has said that he is not thinking about winning the Champions League or La Liga titles this season as the world grapples with the coronavirus outbreak.
In a video call with young fans, coordinated by global charity Save The Children, Casemiro said on Friday that football paled into insignificance compared to the pandemic, which has claimed the lives of more than 59,000 people worldwide, reports Xinhua news agency.
"Do we want to win the league? We definitely want to win La Liga and we want to win the Champions League," the 28-year-old said.
"But I'm not thinking about winning La Liga, I'm thinking about winning the fight against the coronavirus. I think if everyone does their part, that's the most important thing. It's a tough time for everyone. We need to win the match against the coronavirus."
Real Madrid are currently second in Spain's La Liga standings, two points behind leaders Barcelona with 11 matches remaining in the season.
Zinedine Zidane's men are due to meet Manchester City in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie, having lost the first encounter 2-1 at the Bernabeu.
All major football competitions in Europe have been suspended indefinitely as part of efforts to stop the spread of the virus.
"It's a difficult time for everybody," Casemiro said. "We have to do our part by staying at home. Everyone has to help out and follow the rules," he added.