Villarreal President Urges Support for Thomas Partey Amid Ongoing Legal Process
Villarreal president Fernando Roig has called for patience and respect for their new recruit, Thomas Partey, who faces an ongoing legal matter in the UK, urging fans not to rush to judgment.
We must be cautious and wait for justice. Let’s not judge prematurely. Thomas has the right to do his job until there is a conviction,” Roig said. “At this moment, Partey is as innocent as the rest of us here. A fundamental right like this must be respected. The English whistled Partey. Not the Villarreal fans. I wouldn’t like our own fans to whistle at players on our team. We must stand with the team. He is not a convicted player.”
Facing charges of rape in the UK, the Ghanaian has been granted conditional bail and is set to return to court on September 2.
Partey, who joined the Yellow Submarine after leaving Arsenal at the end of his contract, returns to La Liga for the first time since leaving Atlético Madrid in 2020.
The 31-year-old made around 166 appearances for Atleti before moving to Arsenal, where he spent five seasons.
He will hope to make his competitive debut for Villarreal today, August 15, in their opening La Liga match against newly promoted Real Oviedo at the Estadio de la Cerámica.