Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea shouldn’t be playing for Spain at Euro 2016, according to one of the country’s leading politicians.
On the eve of the tournament reports emerged linking the United stopper with a Spanish court investigation into the sexual abuse of a minor, allegedly committed by two footballers.
While De Gea has not been accused of any involvement in the incident itself, the prosecutors have suggested he may have been involved in arranging the meeting.
The 25-year-old has started Spain’s first two games of the tournament, keeping clean sheets in victories over the Czech Republic and Turkey, but a leading Spanish politician has said he is not comfortable with the situation.
Pedro Sanchez, leader of the Spanish Socialist Workers’ (PSOE) party, has spoken out against De Gea’s inclusion in Vicente Del Bosque’s team and squad.
“I do not feel comfortable watching De Gea as the goalkeeper of the Spanish national team after seeing his name splashed about and denounced by a minor,” he told El Diario.
“I respect the presumption of innocence but we also have to take the side of the victim and in this case we are talking about a minor.
“[If we win the elections] we would prohibit [prostitution]. I am against the legalisation of prostitution.”
While Sanchez’s comments could have been politically motivated, it remains to be seen whether De Gea will be distracted by such sentiment coming from home.
To this point he and his team-mates have maintained their focus, as they became the first team to score three goals in a game at this year’s tournament as they cruised past Turkey on Friday.
De Gea was a spectator for the most part as two goals from Alvaro Morata in addition to a well taken Nolito strike secured the reigning champions’ passage into the last 16.
They will play their final Group D fixture against Croatia on Tuesday evening, with De Gea expected to keep his place in the starting lineup.
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