Albert Benaiges, who has been accused of sexually abusing dozens of former pupils at a public faculty, has refuted the accusations.
The previous director of Barcelona’s youth groups, Albert Benaiges, has been accused of sexually abusing dozens of former pupils at a public faculty the place he labored in Barcelona, Spanish media reported on Saturday.
Catalan newspaper ARA reported that greater than 60 of Benaiges’s former college students accused him of getting sexually abused them whereas he was a bodily schooling instructor at their public faculty. ARA stated Benaiges has denied any wrongdoing.
Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez spoke on Saturday shortly after authorities in northeastern Spain stated they had been opening an investigation into the accusations. Hernández stated he was “shocked” by the information.
It appears not one of the former gamers for Barcelona has joined the accusations.
The 71-year-old Benaiges was a key member of Barcelona’s youth coaching academy from 1991-2011, coinciding with a technology of the membership’s finest gamers, together with Andres Iniesta and Xavi.
After stints overseas with overseas golf equipment, Benaiges returned to Barcelona final 12 months following the return of Joan Laporta to its presidency. He resigned final week reportedly for private causes.
“I don’t have any data that there have been any sort of those episodes, though that doesn’t imply that they didn’t occur,” Xavi stated at a routine pre-match information convention.
“He was my coach and I by no means had any suspicions. I’m very shocked and surprised, I didn’t anticipate it.
“This can be a very delicate, very difficult challenge,” Xavi added.
“I’ve spoken with the teaching employees as a result of we love Albert Benaiges very a lot. It has shocked us rather a lot. We at all times had a superb relationship, and he left an excellent legacy. It’s the justice system that should resolve,” he added.
Barcelona has but to remark publicly on the investigation.
