Villarreal midfielder Thomas Partey on Wednesday appeared in a London court and pleaded not guilty to charges of rape and sexual assault involving three women.

Partey, a Ghana international, is accused of five counts of rape relating to two women, plus a charge of sexual assault against a third woman, between April 2021 and June 2022.

The alleged offences took place when Partey played for Premier League soccer club Arsenal. He left the club this summer and signed for Spain’s Villarreal.

The 32-year-old appeared in the dock at Southwark Crown Court and spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth and enter his not guilty pleas.

Partey was released on bail ahead of his trial, which was listed for Nov. 2, 2026 and is due to take between six and eight weeks.

He was signed by Arsenal from Atletico Madrid for 50 million euros ($59.2 million) in 2020 and became a key member of the English side’s first team, before his contract expired at the end of June.

Partey played for Villarreal in their Champions League game against Arsenal’s bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday night.

He came on as a second-half substitute and was booed loudly by the Spurs fans every time he touched the ball.

-Reuters

Villarreal and Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey, who has been charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, walks outside Southwark Crown Court, in London, Britain, September 17, 2025. REUTERS/Maja Smiejkowska

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Real Madrid on Tuesday denounced plans to stage a LaLiga match between Barcelona and Villarreal in Miami, warning the proposal could undermine football’s competitive balance and vowing to petition global governing bodies to block the move.

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) on Monday approved the December 20 fixture at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, which could become the first LaLiga match held abroad and the first European league fixture staged in the United States.

“Real Madrid wish to express to its members, supporters and football fans in general its firm rejection of the proposal,” the club said in a statement, revealing they have already urged FIFA, UEFA and Spain’s Higher Sports Council (CSD) to intervene.

The club accused the RFEF of making its decision “without informing or consulting the clubs participating in the competition” and argued that staging the match in Miami “violates the essential principle of territorial reciprocity” in home-and-away league formats.

Real further stated that the move would “alter the competitive balance” and grant “an unfair sporting advantage” to the clubs involved.

The club also warned that approving the proposal could compromise sporting integrity and “set an unacceptable precedent,” insisting any change of this nature should require “the express and unanimous agreement of all the clubs participating in the competition”.

The plan still requires approval from UEFA, US Soccer, CONCACAF and ultimately FIFA before LaLiga President Javier Tebas can realise his long-held ambition of taking Spanish football to the U.S.

-Reuters

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Barcelona stripped Marc-Andre ter Stegen of the captaincy on Thursday as a feud escalated between the German goalkeeper and the club over his injury status amid the Catalans’ attempts to register new signings.

Barca signed 24-year-old goalkeeper Joan Garcia from local rivals Espanyol last month, with the club likely expecting to sell Ter Stegen, 33, to make space in their wage bill for Garcia and Manchester United loanee Marcus Rashford.

However, Ter Stegen had to have more surgery to finish repairing a multiple knee ligament tear sustained last season, closing the door for him to leave in the close-season transfer window and forcing Barca to try a different approach.

The club asked Ter Stegen to sign a long-term medical leave that would allow them to clear 80% of his wages until mid-season and comply with LaLiga’s Financial Fair Play rules.

But Ter Stegen’s announcement on social media that he would be sidelined for only three months irked the club management as LaLiga rules require a player to remain out of action for at least four months to be considered a long-term injury.

“FC Barcelona announces that, following the disciplinary proceedings opened against player Marc-Andre ter Stegen, and until this matter is definitively resolved, the club, in agreement with the Sports Management and the technical staff, has decided to temporarily remove him as captain of the first team,” Barca said in a statement.

“During this period, the duties of first captain will be assumed by the current vice-captain, Ronald Araujo.”

The controversy highlights Barcelona’s financial struggles as they have battled to register new signings for several years running. The club are set to begin their LaLiga title defence on August 16 at Mallorca amid the continuing captaincy crisis.

-Reuters

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