Spanish football player Hugo Mallo will go on trial after being accused of inappropriately touching a mascot before a game in 2019, court officials said Wednesday. (More Football News)
Mallo, who denies wrongdoing, was with Celta Vigo when the alleged incident happened before a La Liga match against Espanyol. The 32-year-old Mallo current꧑ly plays for Brazilian club Internacional.
Prosecutors and the defendant seek the payment of a fine if Mallo is found guilty. They said Mallo inappropriately touched the breasts of the woman who was wearing Espanyol's parakeet costume while players lined up to salute each other before𝔍 kicꦅk-off.
The sports daily AS, which first reported that Mallo would go on trial, said the player told the court that the television images of the incident show that he did nothing wrong. The court said the im♋ages were enough to open a trial, though, which is expected to take place in July.
The local COPE🉐 radio network said it spoke with Mallo and he said he was sure of an acquittal based on the images. He said he was fully focused on the game, in which Celta needed a good result in the fight against relegation.
The case against the Spanish defender, who used to bꦚe a Celta captain, was initially dismissed, but t▨hat decision was overturned on appeal.
