Paris Saint-Germain Defender Achraf Hakimi argued for his innocence as he publicly tackled the rape accusations against him in France.
French public prosecutors have called on Hakimi to be tried for the alleged rape of a woman in 2023, an accusation that the 26-year-old fiercely denied.
Earlier this month, the office of the public prosecutor confirmed to AFP that they had asked the investigating judge to refer the rape to a criminal court.
“It is now up to the research magistrate to make a decision within the framework of his order,” said the office of the public prosecutor AFP in a statement.
Hakimi was accused of rape and saved under a police officer on 3 March 2023.
Hakimi said, however, that the statement 'false' spoke with Canal+ this week.
“I'm calm. This false accusation was terrible, unfair, “he said. “I wouldn't wish for this on anyone, it's not right. I know the truth will come true.
'I don't blame myself for anything, those who know me know that. I am calm and I concentrate on the most important things in my life: family, football. '
If convicted, Moroccan international hakimi is confronted with a maximum of 15 years in prison – the maximum punishment for non -gravated rape in France.
The accusation was made after an alleged incident on February 25, 2023. According to Le Parisien, a 24-year-old woman told the police that she had met Hakimi on Instagram in January before they changed messages in the course of a month.
Hakimi is said to have ordered her a Uber in his house in Boulogne-Billancourt, while his wife, actress Hiba Abouk, was on vacation in Dubai.
Abouk started a divorce procedure against Hakimi in 2023.
The woman claimed that Hakimi kissed her mouth and breasts through her clothes, despite her protests. She claimed that he had subsequently attacked her without permission.
It is said that she told the police that she could push him away with her foot before she flees a friend and texted to pick her up. The woman visited a police station the same day to make a 'declaration of rape', but initially did not submit a formal complaint.
Hakimi was accused of rape and placed under judicial supervision on 3 March.
His lawyer, Fanny Colin, said that the call from public prosecutors for a trial was 'incomprehensible and meaningless in the light of the elements of the case'. She added: “If these requests were followed, we would of course pursue all roads by profession.”
The lawyer who represents the woman said the news came as an 'immense relief'.
Hakimi previously stated that the case was just an attempt to blackmail him.
During an interview in January he said: 'The truth is that when you are successful and it goes well, you will be an easy target for certain people and that taught me that you cannot trust many people around you.
'They wanted to blackmail me and that is why we filed a complaint and things are going well. The legal system has treated things pretty well. '
Hakimi has long maintained his prosecutor trying to take millions from him. His legal team described the statement as 'attempted racketeering'.
PSG did not comment on the case, but stood with the player, referring to 'personal reasons' when he missed training sessions during sensitive phases of the investigation. The club has said that it continues to trust the legal process.