La Liga side Villarreal have suspended without pay Ruben Semedo after he was remanded in custody following his arrest for tying up, assaulting and pointing a gun at his victim while threatening to kill him. The player spent Friday morning in court and later was taken away by police in handcuffs. He was arrested on Tuesday and an investigation of his house found an illegal firearm and a disco in his basement.
Semedo joined Villarreal last summer but has struggled this season through injury and has just four appearances. A Spanish court had charged Semedo of with offences which included attempted murder, robbery and illegal possession of weapons. The judge later ordered that the Portuguese defender be held in custody without bail.
The 23-year-old Semedo was arrested on Tuesday for his alleged involvement with others in holding a man who they threatened with a gun, according to media reports. “The judge charged the footballer with crimes of attempted homicide, assault, threats, illegal detention, illicit possession of firearms and violent robbery,” the Valencia court said in a statement on Thursday.
Semedo’s agent, Catio Balde, told Portuguese television network TSF on Wednesday that his client had been tricked. “Ruben was a victim of fraud, a large-scale swindle, probably of a financial nature. Against this situation he didn’t react in the best possible way, but he was the victim.
“From what I’ve seen on Spanish television, it’s a regrettable situation and not correct, but Ruben wasn’t involved in this. The alleged kidnapping did not take place. It’s a total lie that there was a kidnapping and torture. The gun didn’t belong to Semedo even though they found it in his house,” Balde said.
Villarreal said on its website that it would open an investigation into the player and take any necessary action. Semedo joined the club in 2017 from Sporting Lisbon for 14 million euros.
