Will Antony be dropped from Manchester United after assault allegations? Player removed from Brazil national team

Manchester United are under pressure to drop winger Antony, after his ex-girlfriend made allegations that he attacked her and threatened to kill her.

The Brazilian Football Confederation have already done so, saying “in light of the facts which came to light on Monday (04/09) concerning Manchester United player Antony, which must be investigated, and in order to safeguard the alleged victim, the player, the Brazilian national team and the CBF, the organization informs that the athlete has been removed from the Brazilian national team.”

The serious accusations come as Antony was set to join up with the Brazil national team for a series of World Cup qualifiers against Peru and Bolivia. The £84 million winger has labelled the claims “false”.

Antony alleged to have assaulted and threatened ex-girlfriend

Gabriela Cavallin, a DJ and social media influencer, started a relationship with Antony in 2021. She provided Brazilian website UOL with photographs and WhatsApp messages which allege that the winer attacked her in June of last year. She claimed the player “put her in the car, repeatedly assaulted her and threatened to throw her out of the car at high speed.”

The second attack, Cavallin says, came this year, in January. “He punched me in the breast and my silicon [implant] flipped over,” she said, “he said, ‘I didn’t mean to hurt you, it was an accident, it wasn’t a punch – I just held you against the wall.”

There was a third attack that Cavallin says ocurred in May this year, in which Antony allegedly “tried to attack her face with a glass” in the middle of an argument. Cavallin wrote to the travel agent as she intended to hastily book a flight out of Brazil: “I need to get out of here before he kills me.”

What did Antony say about the accusations?

Antony himself posted a story on Instagram in which he said “out of respect for my fans, friends and family I feel obligated to speak publicly about the false accusations I have been a victim of. From the beginning I have handled this issue seriously and with respect, providing the due clarifications to the police authority.”

“The police inquest is under cover of justice, and therefore I cannot make its contents public. However, I can say with confidence that the accusations are false and that the evidence already produced and more to be produced show that I am innocent of the accusations made.

“My relationship with Ms, Gabriela was tumultuous, with verbal offences from both sides, but I never practiced any physical aggression. Every time, whether in testimony or in interview, she presents a different version of the accusations.

“Thus, I come to deny the accusations made and inform that I remain at the full disposal of the Brazilian authorities to clarify what is needed. I trust the ongoing police investigations will reveal the truth about my innocence.”

Calls from all across the world have come in asking for Antony to be dropped from Manchester United’s squad, but the club are yet to release a public statement on the matter.