Xavi donates €1m to Barcelona hospital to help fight coronavirus

The former midfielder matched the donations made by Pep Guardiola and Lionel Messi to help the hospital buy equipment

legend Xavi has donated €1 million to a hospital in Barcelona to help fight coronavirus.

The Hospital Clinic is treating patients suffering from Covid-19 as well as conducting research to find a cure for the disease.

The hospital has appealed for donations from the public to help buy medical equipment, respirators and personal protection equipment for staff.

Al Sadd coach and former international Xavi and his wife, journalist Nuria Cunillera, have donated money to help the hospital "purchase sanitary equipment for professionals and patients."

Xavi Hernandez i Núria Cunillera han fet una donació d'1M d'€ al #CLÍNIC per fer front a la #COVID19 . Moltes gràcies per la vostra aportació i suport al projecte #RespostaCoronavirus.



👉 https://t.co/1RyUhDONsJ



Entre tots ho aconseguirem! 🌈🌈 pic.twitter.com/WQZYrX0YJu — Hospital CLÍNIC (@hospitalclinic) April 4, 2020

Xavi's donation matches those his ex-Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola and former team-mate Lionel Messi made to the same hospital last month.

More than 11,700 people have died with coronavirus in Spain since the outbreak began.

Although Saturday saw a decrease in the number of daily deaths - 809 - for the second day in a row, the government is tightening restrictions as they look to contain the spread.

Prime minister Pedro Sanchez is reportedly set to request the Spanish parliament extend the current lockdown a further 15 days. The measurements were initally scheduled to end April 11.

The country has been in lockdown for three weeks already and all "non-essential activity" has been halted for the past seven days.

It remains unknown when the football campaign will resume, as leagues scramble to find a solution to the disruption coronavirus has caused, but it has been suggested that games could be played again in July.

Goal can confirm that figures at and the Spanish FA (RFEF) are working towards a gradual return to normality for Spanish football and are making plans to play matches behind closed doors.

The pandemic has affected players, too, as they have had to take pay cuts of up to 70 per cent to help their clubs stay in business as the suspension continues.