Thomas Partey could play for Villarreal against Tottenham hours before court appearance

Thomas Partey travelled with Villarreal's squad to London and could feature against Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday night despite being due at Southwark Crown Court hours after the Champions League match to answer criminal charges.

The 32-year-old Ghana international, who left Arsenal on a free transfer in the summer, is charged with five counts of rape against two women and one count of sexual assault against a third woman. He is expected to appear at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday morning in relation to those allegations.

Villarreal coach Marcelino said on the eve of the game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium that Partey was "mentally prepared, technically prepared, to play the game" and confirmed the midfielder had travelled from Spain with the rest of the squad. Marcelino declined to confirm whether Partey would start, saying he did not disclose team selection in advance and that players learned that information in the dressing room.

"We are really happy that Thomas is with us for his football capacity and ability and his presence as a human," Marcelino said. "He is a great player with lots of experience. We know he has a great ability and great level." He also cautioned about drawing conclusions, adding: "We're interpreting stuff about and talking about a player that could be totally innocent. We are playing a game of football where the important thing is football. This is where football was invented, after all. We're talking more about Thomas than the game."

Club officials have not confirmed whether Partey will be in the starting XI. The match is the opening night of Villarreal's Champions League campaign and comes a day before the midfielder's scheduled court attendance.

Partey moved to Villarreal after five seasons with Arsenal, where he was a regular in midfield. The club named other players in the travelling party, including Tottenham winger Manor Solomon, who is spending the season on loan at Villarreal, Argentina defender Juan Foyth, who had a four-year spell at Spurs beginning in 2017, and former Arsenal winger Nicolas Pépé.

Legal proceedings in the case are ongoing. The charges against Partey are allegations; he is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty in court. Details on any plea entered or subsequent court dates were not provided by Villarreal at the time of the club's pre-match media availability.

The situation presents an unusual scheduling overlap between a high-profile European fixture and a criminal court appearance. Clubs and managers often face questions about player availability when off-field legal matters arise, and Marcelino said the focus within the camp remained on preparation for the match.

Tottenham will host Villarreal in a Group-stage opener that carries competitive importance for both sides. Villarreal's travel and selection decisions came under scrutiny because of Partey's court timetable, but the coach emphasised his view that the player was ready to contribute on the pitch while the legal process proceeds.