2 Spanish soccer players face prison on rape charge

By: Joseph Wilson, The Associated Press Posted: 8:35 AM CDT Friday, Apr. 1, 2022 Last Modified: 8:50 AM CDT Friday, Apr. 1, 2022

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BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — The rape trial involving Celta Vigo forward Santi Mina and another Spanish soccer player closed Friday with both men maintaining their innocence.

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BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — The rape trial involving Celta Vigo forward Santi Mina and another Spanish soccer player closed Friday with both men maintaining their innocence.

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This article was published 01/04/2022 (1598 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — The rape trial involving Celta Vigo forward Santi Mina and another Spanish soccer player closed Friday with both men maintaining their innocence.

The state prosecutor is asking for eight years of prison for Mina, while the alleged victim’s own lawyers are seeking 9 1/2 years.

David Goldar, who plays for lower-division club Ibiza, is accused of being an accomplice. The woman’s lawyer is asking for 4 1/2 years in prison for him.

FILE - Valencia's Santi Mina celebrates after scoring during a Group H Champions League soccer match against Young Boys at the Mestalla Stadium in Valencia, Spain, Nov. 7, 2018. Celta Vigo forward Santi Mina and another Spanish soccer player accused of raping a woman have maintained their innocence on the closing day of their trial, Friday, April 1, 2022. A state prosecutor is asking for eight years of prison for Mina. The alleged victim’s own lawyers are seeking nine-and-a-half years for having allegedly forced her to have sexual relations in 2017. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)

The verdict is expected in the coming weeks, the court’s press office told The Associated Press. The ruling by the lower court can be appealed to Spain’s Supreme Court.

The woman accused Mina of raping her in a camper van, where she had gone with Goldar. Her lawyer said that Goldar did nothing to stop Mina from raping her. The incident occurred in the southern Spanish province of Almería in 2017.

The two players say the woman consented to their sexual relations.

At the time of the incident, Mina was playing for Valencia. The 26-year-old forward has since returned to his boyhood club in Vigo.

Celta hosts Real Madrid on Saturday. Celta coach Eduardo Coudet said Friday that Mina will be in his squad against the Spanish league leaders.

“Who can judge another person? Until the justice system says otherwise, we are all innocent,” Coudet said. “I spoke to him to see how he was doing and I will speak to him again when I see him. He is an important player and will be in our squad.”

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