Thomas Partey included in Villarreal squad for Spurs match ahead of court appearance
Manager Marcelino says Partey is 'mentally prepared' to play on Champions League opening night; player is due at Southwark Crown Court hours later to face sexual offence charges
Thomas Partey has been named in Villarreal's travelling squad for Tuesday's Champions League opener against Tottenham — despite being due at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday morning to answer criminal charges.
Villarreal manager Marcelino said he was "totally convinced that he is mentally prepared, technically prepared, to play the game" and confirmed Partey had travelled with the team. Marcelino added: "For sure he will be ready. We are really happy that Thomas is with us for his football capacity and ability and his presence as a human."
The 32-year-old Ghana international, who left Arsenal on a free transfer in the summer, is facing five counts of rape alleged to have been committed against two women and one count of sexual assault against a third woman. He is scheduled to appear at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday morning.
Marcelino would not confirm whether Partey would start at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, saying he did not habitually reveal team selections in advance. "They find out when they arrive in the dressing room what the team is," the manager said at a press conference on the eve of the match. Marcelino also commented on media attention surrounding the player, saying, "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."
The fixture is the opening night of the Champions League group stage. Tottenham will host Villarreal at their stadium in north London. Marcelino named other members of his squad who have links to the Premier League: Manor Solomon, who will spend the season on loan at Villarreal from Tottenham, is included, as are Juan Foyth, who spent four years at Spurs between 2017 and 2021, and former Arsenal winger Nicolas Pépé.
Villarreal's inclusion of Partey in the matchday squad follows club and managerial assessments of the player's availability for selection. Legal proceedings are separate from sporting decisions, and inclusion in a squad does not constitute a determination of guilt or innocence. Partey's court appearance is set to take place hours after the Champions League fixture concludes.
The match and Partey's court attendance represent the immediate next steps in parallel timelines: a competitive fixture for Villarreal and an ongoing criminal case scheduled to progress through the courts. Further developments regarding team selection will be revealed by the club ahead of kick-off, and any updates on the legal process will come from court records and official statements.