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Villarreal president Fernando Roig has jumped to Thomas Partey's defence and called on supporters to "not judge prematurely" following the midfielder being jeered during the club's pre-season clash with Aston Villa.
The former Arsenal star completed his switch to the Spanish outfit earlier this month, with the weekend fixture marking his debut for his new employers. Partey arrives in La Liga as he stands accused of five counts of rape against two women and one count of sexual assault against a third woman - charges which came just days after his contract at the Emirates Stadium expired.
Partey's lawyer has previously insisted her client is innocent and the Ghana midfielder appeared at Westminster Magistrates' court last week, where he was granted conditional bail. He will next appear at the Old Bailey in September.
Following his court appearance, Partey was cleared to finalise his transfer to Villarreal, though the move has attracted significant criticism and hostile reception from sections of supporters at the weekend, although Roig insists this came solely from the visiting contingent rather than home supporters, reports the Mirror.
He said after their 2-0 loss to Villa: "The player is currently undergoing legal proceedings. He maintains his innocence and denies the charges against him.
"The club upholds the presumption of innocence, and it will be the responsibility of the English courts to clarify the facts. We have spent years demonstrating our values with all kinds of activities. We respect the presumption of innocence and, of course, condemn any type of violence, whether inside or outside of football. At this moment, Partey is as innocent as the rest of us here. A fundamental right like this must be respected.'
Roig was pressed on the boos that were directed at his players but added: "The English [Aston Villa fans] whistled Partey. Not the Villarreal fans.
"I wouldn’t like our own fans to whistle at players on our team. We must stand with the team and respect the presumption of innocence. He is not a convicted player. We must be cautious and wait for justice. Let’s not judge prematurely. Thomas has the right to do his job until there is a conviction."
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