Thomas Partey made his competitive debut for Villarreal on Friday, receiving a mixed but largely subdued response from fans at the Estadio de la Cerámica. The 32-year-old former Arsenal midfielder, who has been charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault in England, was introduced as a substitute in the 82nd minute during a 2-0 win over Real Oviedo.
As Partey entered the pitch, some whistles were heard among the applause, though they came from a small portion of the crowd and quickly faded. There were no banners, chants, or social media campaigns against him, and local radio correspondent reported not hearing any whistles at all. Spanish sports newspaper AS noted, 'The majority of the Villarreal fans accept the presumption of his innocence.'
Partey appeared in court in early August, where he was granted conditional bail. He denies all charges, and his lawyer has stated he welcomes the opportunity to clear his name. Villarreal president Fernando Roig defended the signing, saying, 'The club defends the presumption of innocence... If he is found guilty he will no longer be part of Villarreal.'
Some supporters opposed the move, with federation spokesperson José Ángel Arnau calling it 'an unnecessary mess.' An online petition against the signing has just over 1,000 signatures. However, supporters' club president Javier Pérez urged fans to back Partey, stating, 'If the club have backed him, so should we.'
