A Brazilian police investigation into allegations of domestic abuse by Manchester United winger Antony has concluded without any charges being brought, but prosecutors could still look into the claims.
The 24-year-old, who has denied wrongdoing, remains the subject of a Greater Manchester Police investigation.
Allegations of domestic abuse were made against Antony by three women in September last year, though he has not been arrested or charged in either Brazil or the UK and denies the allegations.
A statement from the player's lawyers said: "The defence of player Antony Matheus dos Santos, in light of the news published by the press this Tuesday (20 August 2024), hereby confirms that the police investigation opened at the fifth Women's Defense Precinct of Sao Paulo, of the Civil Police, was closed without any police indictment.
"The defence has always believed that the investigations, that run under confidentiality, would prove Antony's innocence."
Officials have told BBC News Brasil that although the police investigation has concluded without an indictment, the case has not been dropped because the prosecutor's office is still reviewing it and can decide to make another independent investigation.
Antony became Manchester United's second-most expensive signing when he joined from Ajax for £82m in September 2022.
During the international break in September 2023, Brazilian news outlet UOL published allegations made by Antony's ex-partner Gabriela Cavallin, which he denies.
Further assault allegations followed when Rayssa de Freitas and Ingrid Lana each claimed Antony assaulted them in 2022, which he also denies.
Greater Manchester Police became involved as one of the allegations was said to have taken place at a Manchester hotel.
United responded by saying they took the allegations "seriously" and granted Antony leave with full pay to deal with the allegations on 10 September.
He resumed training from 29 September having spoken to Greater Manchester Police voluntarily and returned to action in early October.
However, his club manager Erik ten Hag said in January that the matter had affected the player's form.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cx2e9x028jqo
Antony case dropped
posted 4 weeks, 1 day ago
comment by Diafol Coch 77 🏴 (U2462)
posted 2 hours, 41 minutes ago
comment by RB&W - He kicked lumps out of them (U21434)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by Diafol Coch 77 🏴 (U2462)
posted 5 minutes ago
One thing I will say about Antony and this whole case is that he at least came out and protested his innocence. That, and the fact we've seen/heard nothing to suggest he did wrong (he may well have done of course) leads me to give him the benefit of the doubt.
He absolutely needs to improve though but I do think if we have a better shape about us this season then he could well have a part to play. He is pretty decent at keeping and recycling the ball and I've often thought he wouldn't look half as bad playing for a Pep side.
As he's still a United player then I'm hoping he can prove us wrong and become a valuable member of the squad. His fee isn't his fault after all. I never feel he's not trying and his goal in the FA Cup v Liverpool last season surely grants him some goodwill!
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Without raking over old coals the last player in a similar situation claimed he was innocent of charges too.
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I think his situation a bit different to MG as Antony denied it and we haven't seen anything. I know that doesn't mean he's innocent but seeing/hearing is believing IMO.
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Greenwood denied in his statement
posted 4 weeks, 1 day ago
comment by Ali - 🇪🇦 🏴 (U1192)
posted 14 minutes ago
comment by RB&W - He kicked lumps out of them (U21434)
posted 3 hours ago
His reaction after the pen shoot out vs Cov summed him up.
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Remind me what that was?
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In the face of Cov players gloating and laughing at them.
posted 4 weeks, 1 day ago
comment by RB&W - He kicked lumps out of them (U21434)
posted 15 minutes ago
comment by Diafol Coch 77 🏴 (U2462)
posted 2 hours, 41 minutes ago
comment by RB&W - He kicked lumps out of them (U21434)
posted 5 minutes ago
comment by Diafol Coch 77 🏴 (U2462)
posted 5 minutes ago
One thing I will say about Antony and this whole case is that he at least came out and protested his innocence. That, and the fact we've seen/heard nothing to suggest he did wrong (he may well have done of course) leads me to give him the benefit of the doubt.
He absolutely needs to improve though but I do think if we have a better shape about us this season then he could well have a part to play. He is pretty decent at keeping and recycling the ball and I've often thought he wouldn't look half as bad playing for a Pep side.
As he's still a United player then I'm hoping he can prove us wrong and become a valuable member of the squad. His fee isn't his fault after all. I never feel he's not trying and his goal in the FA Cup v Liverpool last season surely grants him some goodwill!
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Without raking over old coals the last player in a similar situation claimed he was innocent of charges too.
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I think his situation a bit different to MG as Antony denied it and we haven't seen anything. I know that doesn't mean he's innocent but seeing/hearing is believing IMO.
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Greenwood denied in his statement
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I never felt he did it with as much conviction as Antony. Then again I do acknowledge that it could be the audio and video in the Greenwood case that's prejudicing me.
posted 4 weeks, 1 day ago
comment by RB&W - He kicked lumps out of them (U21434)
posted 6 minutes ago
comment by Ali - 🇪🇦 🏴 (U1192)
posted 14 minutes ago
comment by RB&W - He kicked lumps out of them (U21434)
posted 3 hours ago
His reaction after the pen shoot out vs Cov summed him up.
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Remind me what that was?
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In the face of Cov players gloating and laughing at them.
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I feel like the reaction to that was overblown. Antony grew up in absolute poverty in favelas where many of his peers were consumed by their circumstances. He's made it very clear in multiple interviews that those formative experiences still very much define his outlook on life. So I suspect that he didn't have the same filter that would have made European players look at Coventry as plucky minnows who deserved respect, as just about everyone Antony encounters comes from a position of privilege relative to his background. Obviously he's also pretty combustible. Put those two things together, I don't think his reaction to Coventry players giving it large before they lost the shoot-out utterly condemn him, nor 'sum him up' as a person.
posted 4 weeks, 1 day ago
Then again I do acknowledge that it could be the audio and video in the Greenwood case that's prejudicing me.
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Yeah, it's the presence of the audio that makes the difference for me. If it's a question of claim and denial, it leaves a bad taste, and I hate the narrative that always arises about women making malicious accusations, but ultimately in the absence of proof we can't condemn. If there's material evidence, it changes everything. And in the case of MG, no one is denying that what we heard was real, and regardless of whether the authorities conclude it is sufficient to secure a conviction, it's enough for me to say I don't want him representing my club.
posted 4 weeks, 1 day ago
comment by Red Russian (U4715)
posted 2 hours, 25 minutes ago
Then again I do acknowledge that could be the audio and video in the Greenwood case that's prejudicing me.
-------------------------------------------------------
Yeah, it's the presence of the audio that makes the difference for me. If it's a question of claim and denial, it leaves a bad taste, and I hate the narrative that always arises about women making malicious accusations, but ultimately in the absence of proof we can't condemn. If there's material evidence, it changes everything. And in the case of MG, no one is denying that what we heard was real, and regardless of whether the authorities conclude it is sufficient to secure a conviction, it's enough for me to say I don't want him representing my club.
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I didnt want MG representing man united regardless of the the audio or pictures posted on instagram. The fact he is a good player is a possible reason to have kept him for some fans I understand but dont buy. However Anthony isnt a good player and I dont buy the poverty sob story about why he couldnt bite his tongue when the last penalty went in. It saysxa lot about himas an individual. There are plenty of previously poor footbalkers who knew the difference between right or wrong behavior before they came multi millionaires.
posted 4 weeks, 1 day ago
Ahhh bless those poor Coventry players, it’s heroic they ever played again after the trauma of an ear cup from Anthony.
posted 4 weeks, 1 day ago
RBW it's not a sob story. Certainly he doesn't talk about it as such: remembering where he comes from sounds more like a source of fierce pride and determination. I just think it's worth factoring in personal and cultural background before condemning someone for lack of humble sportsmanship (which itself is maybe more of an expectation in the UK than some other countries).
posted 4 weeks, 1 day ago
I think there are more than enough sticks to beat Antony with, without using that Coventry thing which was a complete non-issue imo. First of all Antony's own explanation for it was that a couple of those Coventry players had goaded the United fans after scoring their pens. Which I don't really mind either, but is true. Secondly you don't really know what gets said on the pitch between players and opponents - I think it would be unusual for Antony to have just done that without any reason (in his own mind at least).
But it's really a case of people looking to pile criticism onto an already unpopular player, which seems to happen quite often. I remember the nauseating faux-outrage over Maguire cupping his ears after scoring a goal for England. Just today actually, there are a few United fans on twitter up in arms because of a 3-second clip of Antony losing possession in training. Fact is it doesn't get noticed if it's anyone else. (Garnacho for example quite regularly goads opposition fans after scoring).
posted 4 weeks, 1 day ago
comment by -bloodred- (U1222)
posted 4 hours, 9 minutes ago
I think there are more than enough sticks to beat Antony with, without using that Coventry thing which was a complete non-issue imo. First of all Antony's own explanation for it was that a couple of those Coventry players had goaded the United fans after scoring their pens. Which I don't really mind either, but is true. Secondly you don't really know what gets said on the pitch between players and opponents - I think it would be unusual for Antony to have just done that without any reason (in his own mind at least).
But it's really a case of people looking to pile criticism onto an already unpopular player, which seems to happen quite often. I remember the nauseating faux-outrage over Maguire cupping his ears after scoring a goal for England. Just today actually, there are a few United fans on twitter up in arms because of a 3-second clip of Antony losing possession in training. Fact is it doesn't get noticed if it's anyone else. (Garnacho for example quite regularly goads opposition fans after scoring).
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Well put, bloodred