Benjamin Mendy commits to Lorient five days after being acquitted of rape and attempted rape charges

Again on trial for rape and attempted rape, the full-back was found not guilty by Chester Crown Court last Friday.

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Benjamin Mendy as he leaves Chester Crown Court in Chester on July 14, 2023. (OLI SCARFF / AFP)

Benjamin Mendy is bouncing back in Ligue 1. It was via a press release published on its website and social networks that the Football club of Lorient announced, Wednesday, July 19, the signing of the French international.

Absent from the field since August 15, 2021, the player trained in Le Havre and passed through Monaco, who had played for Manchester City since 2017, had been imprisoned at the end of August 2021, following several complaints against him for rape, attempted rape and sexual assault. Declared, during the two trials, not guilty for all of these charges, the 2018 world champion has therefore been officially cleared since Friday July 14.

Supported by various figures of world football such as Paul Pogba or Vinicius following the last judgment, Benjamin Mendy therefore finds a club just a few days after being acquitted of the last two charges against him. His new club soberly communicated on his arrival, without mentioning his legal setbacks, simply stressing that he is “Happy to announce today the signing for two seasons of French international left-back Benjamin Mendy”specifying that he would wear number 5 in the last 10th in Ligue 1.

With Manchester City, the former Marseille won four Premier League titles, four League Cups, an FA Cup and two Community Shields. French champion with AS Monaco in 2017, he was above all a member of the French team, world champion in Russia in 2018. His contract with the European and English champion club expired on June 30. last. After more than two years of absence, what will be his level? How will he be received on his return to the field? Many questions arise.


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