AN ITALIAN footballer has been sentenced to six years in jail for the sick gang rape of a 21-year-old woman.
Manolo Portanova, a midfielder for Genoa Football Club, raped the woman on May 30 2021 in her apartment, in the historical centre of Siena.
His uncle, Alessio Langella, 23, received the same sentence after partaking in the sick rape, alongside his friend Alessandro Cappiello.
A 17-year-old boy also has been charged, and his case is being dealt with by the Juvenile Prosecutor in Florence.
Both Manolo and his uncle opted for a fast-track trial, which reduces prison sentences by a third compared to trials with a jury, according to La Gazetta dello Sport.
Manolo is the son of former Bolonga, Napoli and Genoa defender Daniele Portanova.
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The midfielder from Naples has continued to deny kidnapping the woman alongside his uncle and friend.
Reports from the court case revealed the act was “consensual”.
Court reconstructions revealed the young woman was alone with Portanova, but the other three defendants joined in and participated in “violence”.
The student “went to A&E afterwards, where medics found bruises and wounds”, according to Football Italia.
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“I learned from my father and from sport to have healthy respect for everyone, especially women. I am pained for the psychological damage the girl has suffered,” Portanova said in a statement.
Genoa is Italy’s oldest football team, founded in 1893, but the club came under fire after Coach Alexander Blessin continued to use Manolo after he was charged with the crime.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
