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Albert Benaiges, who has been accused of sexually abusing dozens of former pupils at a public college, 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 college 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 training instructor at their public college. ARA mentioned Benaiges has denied any wrongdoing.
Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez spoke on Saturday shortly after authorities in northeastern Spain mentioned they had been opening an investigation into the accusations. Hernández mentioned he was “stunned” 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 era of the membership’s finest gamers, together with Andres Iniesta and Xavi.
After stints overseas with international 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 info that there have been any sort of those episodes, though that doesn’t imply that they didn’t occur,” Xavi mentioned at a routine pre-match information convention.
“He was my coach and I by no means had any suspicions. I’m very stunned and shocked, I didn’t count on it.
“This can be a very delicate, very difficult situation,” Xavi added.
“I’ve spoken with the teaching workers as a result of we love Albert Benaiges very a lot. It has stunned us loads. We all the time had a superb relationship, and he left an excellent legacy. It’s the justice system that must determine,” he added.
Barcelona has but to remark publicly on the investigation.
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