Marca: Former Espanyol player Alvaro Aguado indicted for allegedly sexually assaulting female staff

The Spanish media "Marca" reported that in the early morning of June 23, 2024, a Barcelona judge decided to file a lawsuit against former Espanyol player Alvaro Aguado on the grounds that he allegedly sexually assaulted a female employee during the club's upgrade celebration. The incident took place at the Opium nightclub in Catalonia.

According to investigation, the incident occurred in a private area of ​​the nightclub where there were no surveillance cameras. The victim reported the crime several months later in January, claiming she needed time to recover from the trauma and feared losing her job if she went public with the charges. She reported that she had been inappropriately touched and raped that night.

The judicial ruling concluded that "there are signs of sexual assault" and emphasized that the victim's testimony was consistent and remained unchanged whether it was with the police or in court. The victim's account is also supported by forensic reports and statements from other employees, as well as text messages recorded after the incident that reflected her emotional state following the incident.

Alvaro-Aguado denies all accusations and insists he had a consensual relationship with the employee. He ended his contract with Espanyol on June 30 and is currently without a team. Aguado said he did not understand why he was being charged and insisted in front of the judge that he was innocent.

As a precautionary measure, the judge asked Aguado to pay a bail of 5,000 euros to deal with possible civil liability. The indictment is a necessary step before a trial, pending written submissions from prosecutors, plaintiffs and defense. In the meantime, the case remains confidential, leaving Aguado's professional and personal life in limbo, pending a final judicial decision.