Villarreal’s president has spoken out after the club came under fire for signing former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey, who is currently facing serious rape allegations.
Partey, 32, recently appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London to answer multiple charges, including five counts of rape and one of sexual assault. He was later granted bail by the court.
According to the Crown Prosecution Service, two of the rape charges involve one woman, while three more relate to another woman. The sexual assault charge concerns a third woman.
The allegations surfaced just a few days after Partey’s contract with Arsenal officially ended on June 31. Following his release on bail, he was able to complete a free transfer to Villarreal, a move that has drawn widespread criticism.
During a preseason friendly against Aston Villa, the Ghanaian midfielder was met with boos and whistles from the stands, marking a difficult first appearance in his new club’s colours.
Speaking after the match, Villarreal president Fernando Roig defended the decision to sign Partey. He said the club fully respects the principle that a person is innocent until proven guilty and stressed that it is up to the English courts to determine the facts.
Roig added that Villarreal has a long history of promoting strong values and condemning any form of violence, whether within football or beyond.
He insisted that, at this stage, Partey is “as innocent as the rest of us” and should be treated as such.
When asked about the boos, Roig explained that they came from Aston Villa supporters, not Villarreal fans.
He urged his own supporters to stand behind their players and avoid passing judgment before the legal process concludes.
The president further stated that Thomas Partey has every right to continue working until a court rules otherwise, and that caution is needed to avoid premature conclusions.
Partey is set to return to court in London next month. As part of his bail conditions, he is prohibited from contacting any of the three women involved in the case.
