Pep Guardiola has testified in recent hours in the trial against Benjamin Mendy, accused of seven counts of rape, another attempted rape and sexual assault against six women. The Manchester City coach has explained that his removal, suspended by the cityzens, is "very generous", although he was unaware of what he did in his private life.
"I monitor my players when we are together in training sessions. In their private life, I don't know what they do. I don't follow players on social media, so I don't know what they are doing out of my control in training and in the matches. I'm not his father," explained the Catalan telematically to Eleanor Laws, the Frenchman's lawyer, according to statements collected by the Manchester Evening News.
The one from Santpedor, who testified before the Chester crown court, praised the side's attitude in the football environment. "He is a very generous boy. I think he adapted very quickly to the team and I would say that he was very happy to be able to help others," he added about a player who reached the ranks of the skyblue at the request of the coach in the summer of 2017 and after the payment of 58 million.
Guardiola testified at the express request of Mendy ("he asked me to come, Your Honor, and that's why I'm here") and assured that when they were "together", for four years at City, "everyone asked him for some favors and he did them". "An exceptional player with a big heart. He was always happy... he's a really good boy," he insisted.
Mendy is accused of perpetrating the party rapes at his Cheshire mansion and an apartment in Manchester city center, where he allegedly locked the victims in panic rooms. The 28-year-old French international has denied the charges. Also charged is Louis Saha Matturie, 41.
