Atlético: Correa shaves hair off in support of cancer-stricken Mum

If the battle against coronavirus in Spain wasn't difficult and worrying enough, Ángel Correa is simultaneously fighting another battle - that concerning the health of his mother, Marcela Martínez, who has been diagnosed with cancer. The Argentine forward is 100% behind his Mum in her battle and posted a photograph of himself together with her on social media. In the photo, the Atleti player has a newly shaved head - a gesture of solidarity for his mother as she begins treatment. Correa captioned the picture: "There is no ceasefire out on the field of battle for your enemy, they may touch your body but they cannot touch your soul".

Correa's trials

It's not the first battle that the player has fought in his life. He lost his father when he was just 10 years old. "My father died when I was a boy and the money I earned through playing football was the only income we had - it went towards feeding my brothers, my Mum and me. I had an agent who gave me a salary which I passed on to my mother, and she was the one who managed the money in our house," Correa explained in an interview with El País in September 2017. That wasn't the only hardship his family have had to deal with. Three years ago, his brother passed away - and before that, in 2014, during his medical with Atleti, it was discovered that he had a tumour in his chest which required open-heart surgery. Fortunately, it was benign.

"The problems I've had and the obstacles I've had to overcome made me stronger and given me the willpower to do things better and continue helping my family," Correa added in the same interview. Now he is standing by his mother in a battle they will fight together - just like the Athletic Club squad did in 2017 when they all shaved their hair to show solidarity for Yeray Álvarez. "They cannot take away the person you are,  your spirit is too strong. This is a battle you are going to win. You are our fighter. I love you Mum," ended Correa's caption on Instagram.