Ronaldo ready to play

Cristiano Ronaldo is ready to play for Juventus against Udinese this weekend despite the rape claims made against him, coach Massimiliano Allegri said on Friday as the Italian champions try to maintain their perfect start to the Serie A season.

"Ronaldo is doing well, he is ready to play. His professionalism and his composure on and off the pitch are not in question," Allegri told a press conference on Friday.

"He is ready to return to action tomorrow."

US police said Monday they had re-opened an investigation into accusations by former American model Kathryn Mayorga that the Portuguese player raped her in a Las Vegas hotel in June 2009.

Ronaldo has strenuously denied the accusations.

"I've known Cristiano for three months now and for over 15 years of his career he has shown to be a great professional both on and off the pitch," said Allegri of the 33-year-old striker who joined the club from Real Madrid for 100 million euros ($117 million) during the summer.

"He's dedicated and he's just as dedicated to social issues, which says it all."

Juventus travel to Udine in northeastern Italy, on the border with Slovenia, to face Udinese, who are 14th in the table.

Ronaldo was filmed preparing for the game on Thursday, with several Juventus players later posting a photo of a team dinner in a Turin restaurant, with a smiling Ronaldo seated between Blaise Matuidi and Federico Bernardeschi.

"It is normal that we help him during a delicate time, but he has broad enough shoulders to focus on tomorrow's game, go down onto the pitch and play well," said Allegri.

Amid the storm of sponsors' concerns, and the team's share price taking a hit, Juventus are trying to focus on their quest for an eighth straight league title.

Earlier in the day, US sportswear giant Nike said it was "deeply concerned" by the allegations against Ronaldo and shares in Italian champions Juventus fell over five percent on the Italian stock exchange.

But the player's relationship with Nike, which is rumoured to be worth $1 billion dollars, is under scrutiny. According to Forbes magazine, Ronaldo is one of only three athletes to have been given a lifetime deal with Nike, joining an elite club that also includes NBA icons LeBron James and Michael Jordan.

EA Sports, for whom Ronaldo is a leading figure in their phenomenally successful FIFA video game market, also described the allegations as "concerning".