Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said in court that Benjamin Mendy, who is accused of rape, is a “really good boy,” according to a Manchester Evening News article, quoted by the Guardian. However, the Spanish coach also said that he does not know what the player does in his private life.
Mendy faces seven counts of rape, one count of attempted rape and one count of sexual assault against six young women. Prosecutors have alleged Mendy is a “predator” who “turned the pursuit of women for sex into a game.”
“I control my players when we are together in training sessions. In their private life, I don’t know what they do. I don’t follow the players on social media so I don’t know what they are doing outside my control in training sessions and in games … I’m not his father,” Guardiola further stated before the jurors.
When asked to describe Mendy as a character, Pep said, “He’s a really good boy, I would say so generous. I think he is happy and I remember that when we were together and everybody asks for some favours and he was able to do it. He’s a very generous boy. I think he very quickly adapted to the team and I would say he was very happy he could help the other ones.”
Mendy has played for City since 2017 after joining from Monaco. He was suspended by the club after being charged by police.
Matturie, Mendy’s friend, is alleged to have had the job of finding young women to have sex with Mendy. Matturie denies six counts of rape and three counts of sexual assault relating to seven young women. Both men say if any sex did take place with women or girls, it was consensual.
