Morocco captain and African Player of the Year Achraf Hakimi will stand trial after being accused of raping a woman in 2023.
The 27-year-old, who played a key role in Paris Saint-Germain winning the UEFA Champions League last season, will face the charge in court, his lawyer Fanny Colin confirmed.
Colin said the case rests solely on the complainant’s account.
“A trial has been ordered on the basis of an accusation that rests solely on the word of a woman who obstructed all investigations, refused all medical examinations and DNA tests, refused to allow her mobile phone to be examined, and refused to give the name of a key witness,” Colin said.
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Hakimi has denied the allegations, describing them as a “lie” and insisting he would never commit such an act.
In a statement posted on his official X account on Tuesday, Hakimi said: “Today, a rape accusation is enough to justify a trial, even though I contest it and everything proves that it is false.
“I await this trial calmly, which will allow the truth to come out publicly.”
According to the complainant, she met the footballer on Instagram and he invited her to his home in the Paris suburb of Boulogne-Billancourt while his wife and children were away on holiday. She told police that while at the house, Hakimi began kissing her and making non-consensual sexual advances before allegedly raping her.
Hakimi’s wife, Spanish-Tunisian actress Hiba Abouk, later filed for divorce following the emergence of the allegations, according to reports.
Hakimi has been with PSG since joining the club from Inter Milan and previously played for Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid.
PSG have not commented on the trial, but head coach Luis Enrique said: “This matter is in the hands of the authorities.”
The pending trial could affect Hakimi’s participation at the 2026 World Cup in North America.
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