Argentinian football player Éver Banega and his four brothers have launched a solidarity project in their hometown, Rosario, to help the most vulnerable people in the region with food and clothing and alleviate the effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

Banega is participating in this charitable initiative from the Andalusian capital, supporting the distribution of food and warm clothing ahead of the South American winter. The project is led by his brothers and several friends through their football team, Los Dueños del Swing, which is sponsored by the midfielder from Rosario.

On Tuesday, Sevilla announced on their website, citing an interview in Mundo Deportivo with César Banega, the brother of the footballer, that the Albiceleste international's family has become involved with this aid program to help the most disadvantaged groups in their city affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Once the pandemic was confirmed and the quarantine began, we started by collaborating with those most affected close to our circle – neighbors who lost their jobs, families with many members or lacking income," explained this brother of Banega, who is one of the captains of Sevilla, to Mundo Deportivo.

César, along with his brothers Luciano, Brian, and Emiliano, and their friends from the team, noted that they soon realized "the situation was becoming increasingly serious," prompting them to expand their outreach to "more neighborhoods" and even areas "outside of Rosario," in the province of Santa Fe.

"Éver plays a very important role in all of this, not only as our sponsor, but also by constantly being aware and in communication with us. Even more so now with this whole situation. He is a man of few words but always willing to help those most affected because, like all of us, he knows what it's like to be in need and he doesn't forget his roots," said his brother.

Banega and three other Sevilla players, his compatriots Lucas Ocampos and Franco Vázquez, and Dutchman Luuk de Jong, were at the center of controversy last weekend after a photo of them and their partners having a meal in the garden of a house, with more than ten people, was posted on social media. They violated the confinement measures and LaLiga's protocol for returning to competition.

Immediately upon the news, the four footballers apologized through social media, acknowledging their mistake and stating that it was done unconsciously and would not happen again. EFE