Some members of the Peruvian soccer team were attacked, for no apparent reason, by Spanish Police agents, who arrested the soccer players and took them to a police station in the Chamartín area, in the city of Madrid.
The episode occurred in the vicinity of the hotel where the representative led by coach Juan Reynoso, who today plans to face his Moroccan counterpart, is concentrated in a friendly match dated FIFA.
According to what was revealed by the newspaper El País, the Peruvian soccer players Yoshimar Yotún and Pedro Gallese were “pushed by agents of the Madrid Metropolitan Police” after being confused with common supporters who had come to the place in an attempt to formulate a “big banner support”.
In the preview of the friendly vs. Morocco, the players from Peru suffered a scandalous moment with the Spanish police at the flag: they were mistaken for fans in the hotel! Alex Valera, Pedro Gallese and Yoshimar Yotún, the most affected. pic.twitter.com/8Q6wucwmPE
— SportsCenter (@SC_ESPN) March 27, 2023
“We wanted to greet the people and they began to punch us,” explained goalkeeper Gallese, with his jacket torn as a result of a fight with a police officer, at the door of the hotel establishment.
The two targeted players, plus José Carvallo and Alex Valera, were denounced by the Spanish police officers and taken to a police station in the Chamartín area, where they “testified to clarify the facts.”
The four soccer players were accompanied by leaders of the Peruvian Football Federation (FPF) and members of the Peruvian Consulate in Spain.
Gallese was released
The National Police released last morning Pedro Gallese, a 33-year-old goalkeeper for the Peruvian soccer team, who was arrested accused of punching an agent in the eye during some altercations that took place at the doors of the hotel where he stayed with his companions.
The Spanish National Police has attacked the international soccer players of the Peruvian soccer team who were concentrating in Madrid. pic.twitter.com/h3DrOb3uVa
— Fonsi Loaiza (@FonsiLoaiza) March 27, 2023
The footballer, who was transferred to the Chamartín district police station, is accused of attacking an agent of the authority and could be called to appear before a judge in the coming days, police sources have reported to EFE.
The still delegate of the Government in Madrid, Mercedes González, has remarked that the police action sought to “guarantee the safety of those attending the doors of the hotel”, where there was “a confrontation between a player who attacked an UIP agent” .
“The Peruvian Football Federation regrets the events that occurred in Madrid, where the traditional banner of the fans in support of La Bicolor was held. The FPF is totally supportive and supports our national team Pedro Gallese, whom, accordingly, we have accompanied since the incident occurred outside the team’s concentration hotel, prior to the friendly match against Morocco,” the FPF said in a statement.