Villarreal's Thomas Partey Prepared to Take On Spurs Prior to Court Hearing
Thomas Partey is “ready” to confront Spurs in the European competition on Tuesday, just 24 hours prior to his court date in legal proceedings on serious criminal allegations, affirmed gaffer Marcelino
The 32-year-old Partey, 32, was charged last month with five counts of sexual assault against individuals and a charge of unlawful conduct related to a third woman
The alleged crimes are alleged to have taken place between the past few years when he represented Arsenal
The player has denied all allegations with attorney stating that he is eager to establish his innocence”
He was granted release under terms and soon after joined Spanish side, who placed just outside top four in La Liga recently
His court date is at the judicial venue on Wednesday for a plea hearing just 24 hours after his side’s UCL match against Tottenham Hotspur
“I am totally convinced that his mindset is right and fit to play for the fixture,” commented Marcelino ahead of the game
“Certainly he will be ready. We are very happy that he’s part of the squad for his football capacity, football ability and his character”
“He is a great player with a lot of experience. He has played for major sides. We know his quality is undeniable”
When asked about possible crowd reaction from opposing supporters, the coach responded that he was focusing on the game itself
“There is speculation regarding an individual that might possibly be not guilty,” Marcelino added
“This is about a sporting contest where the important thing is football
“England is where football was invented historically. I hope that’s understood Thank you”
He signed for Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in the year 2020 and played over a hundred matches for the club, netting several goals
His current record shows four times for the Yellow Submarine since joining, making one start
