As reported by the Manchester Evening News and BBC News, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola gave character evidence at the trial of left-back Benjamin Mendy, under questioning from the player’s barrister Eleanor Laws KC.
Mendy is on trial over seven counts of rape against four women, one of attempted rape and one count of sexual assault, and has denied all charges. He has been suspended by Manchester City since August 2021, when he was remanded in custody.
Guardiola was asked to describe Mendy’s character, to which he responded that the Frenchman was “a really good boy, I would say so generous.” He nevertheless pointed out to the jury that he did not know how Mendy spent his free time – “I am not his father” – and that he was only interested in Mendy as a player.
The manager indicated that Mendy was a well-liked member of the team and that “it’s difficult to find a person in the locker room who speaks badly about Mendy.”
He explained that Mendy was “easy” to deal with, and later indicated that he was “not happy” when he found out the left-back had broken lockdown rules at the start of 2020. Guardiola said that he had been asked by Mendy to come (via videolink) to give evidence at the trial.
Both Mendy and his co-defendant Louis Saha Matturie have said that any sex that took place at social gatherings he held during lockdown was consensual.
The trial continues.
GFFN | Raphaël Jucobin
