RCD Espanyol player investigated over alleged sexual assault

RCD Espanyol player Álvaro Aguado is being investigated for an alleged sexual assault of a woman in the Opium nightclub in Barcelona, according to various media reports in Spain, first reported by El País. 

A judge has opened proceedings against the footballer for an allegation of sexual assault against an Opium employee during the celebration of the club's promotion to La Liga last June 2024. 

Local media report that Aguado will be summoned to testify in May.

The woman did not file the complaint immediately, and she is also employed by RCD Espanyol.

The complaint prompted an investigation by the Catalan Mossos d'Esquadra police force, but, unlike in other similar cases, the court chose to summon the player directly.

The Barcelona court opened an investigation to clarify the facts and listed Aguado as a suspect in the case.

Both the victim and the player already have lawyers and are represented in the case, according to El País.

The hotline 016 serves victims of gender-based violence, their families, and those close to them 24 hours a day, every day of the year, in 53 different languages. The number is not recorded on the phone bill, but the call would need to be deleted from the device if the caller wishes to prevent it from being seen.