Ronaldo and Kakà as a pledge for a bank

Bankia used the two Real Madrid champions as collateral to get money from the European Central Bank. If the Spanish institute turns out to be insolvent and Florentino Perez's company doesn't repay its debts, then the hypothesis would sensationally translate into reality.

Two football players at the center of an intricate banking matter. Bankia, one of the most important Spanish lenders, has used two Real Madrid players, Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka, as collateral to get money from the European Central Bank. According to reports from El Pais, the Iberian bank has issued bonds through a fund (Madrid Activos Corporativos V) for an amount of 772,85 million euros which has as collateral the loans to a series of companies such as Acs, Albertis, Acciona, Fcc, Galp and Real Madrid. At the root of the story there is also the loan of 76,5 million euros that Florentino Perez had obtained from the fund. Consequently, as the Suddeutsche Zeitung explains, the ECB could really take the two football stars as guarantees. "First Bankia would have to be insolvent and then Real Madrid should not repay the debt, secured to date by the revenue generated from advertising and TV rights". A fairly remote possibility, but Real Madrid fans are already starting to tremble.

http://www.elpais.com/articulo/economia/Bankia/usara/prestamo/fichaje/Cristiano/Ronaldo/pedir/liquidez/BCE/elpepueco/20110725elpepueco_1/Tes

http://www.sueddeutsche.de/geld/als-sicherheit-fuer-die-europaeische-zentralbank-ronaldo-unterm-rettungsschirm-1.1124503