Atletico acknowledge ´seriousness of accusation´ against Hernandez

Atletico Madrid will wait for the case against Lucas Hernandez to run its course after their player was arrested on suspicion of assaulting his girlfriend.

The France Under-21 centre-back was detained by police after an alleged incident at his home at around 2am on Friday.

The woman involved was taken to hospital where she received treatment for her injuries.

In a statement released via their official website early on Friday, Atletico asked for the presumption of innocence to be respected in light of significant public interest in the case and acknowledged the severity of the accusation.

“Given the events that occurred last night in which our player Lucas Hernandez has been involved, the club wants to state the following,” the statement read.

“It should be Justice [the legal system] who clarifies what happened. We will wait for the resolution of this case to make any valuation in this regard.

“We understand the public transcendence of the event in which Lucas Hernandez has been involved, but we request due respect to the presumption of innocence of our player, as we would request for any other person in similar circumstances. 

“Club Atletico de Madrid has always expressed its strongest condemnation of any type of violence. Our club has always been characterised by its support to all the people who suffer it and, on a permanent basis, it collaborates, promotes and adheres to campaigns of awareness and action against violence in any of its manifestations. 

“Precisely because of all this, we are aware of the seriousness of an accusation of this type and we ask [for] the highest respect and do not prejudge anyone before the facts are clarified.”

Speaking at a news conference ahead of Saturday’s match against Leganes, Atleti boss Diego Simeone refused to be drawn on the issue.

“In reality, I’ve no official information about what happened,” he said, “So I cannot comment on something I do not know about.

“We have read things and heard things, information which is not official that has come out. I cannot say any more.”

Hernandez, 20, has made 11 appearances for Atletico this season.