Former Manchester Metropolis defender Benjamin Mendy says he was lent cash by his then team-mates Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez when the membership stopped paying him after he was charged with rape and sexual assault, an employment tribunal has heard.
The France defender is claiming £11.5m in unpaid wages from when he was charged in August 2021 and suspended with out pay by Metropolis.
Mendy, 30, was cleared in 2023 of a sequence of rape and tried rape fees made towards him.
The membership continued paying Mendy after his first arrest in November 2020, however argued they didn’t must after he was charged as his bail circumstances – one in all which prevented him from going close to the membership’s stadium or coaching floor – and a Soccer Affiliation suspension meant he was not capable of carry out his contractual duties.
Courtroom paperwork mentioned Mendy “in a short time ran out of cash” and needed to promote his Cheshire mansion to cowl authorized charges, payments and baby help funds after his wages had been withheld.
“Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez all lent me cash to assist me try to pay my authorized charges and help my household,” Mendy mentioned in his witness assertion.
In November 2022, Mendy despatched a Whatsapp message to Omar Berrada, who was Metropolis’s Chief Soccer Operations’ Officer from September 2020 to July 2024, to ask when he would obtain his excellent salaries however obtained no reply.
Mendy’s agent Meissa N’Diaye, who additionally spoke on the listening to, mentioned on 20 September 2021 he spoke to Berrada and was advised “as soon as the trial was over Benjamin could be paid again all of the wage that had been suspended”.
Berrada, who’s now Manchester United’s chief government, denied giving assurances when requested about this on the listening to.
The listening to additionally addressed how on 15 separate events Mendy both held or attended events in breach of Covid-19 or bail circumstances, or each.
Below questioning from Metropolis’s counsel Sean Jones, Mendy admitted his behaviour in persevering with to carry events represented “a danger”.
When Jones mentioned to Mendy: “The reality is you could not care much less it uncovered you to danger,” the full-back replied through videolink: “On the time, sure.”
In statements submitted to the court docket, Mendy mentioned he felt he had been singled out by Metropolis as “a number of first-team gamers, together with the membership captain, had attended the events I had attended and hosted” with out repercussions.
Mendy mentioned he rejected a proposal to cancel his contract as a result of he “wished to return and prepare together with his workforce”.
In his witness assertion, he added: “I imagine that it’s truthful and only for me to be paid the wages that I’d have earned however for being falsely arrested for crimes that I didn’t commit.”
Mendy joined Metropolis from Monaco in a £52m deal in 2017 and gained Premier League titles in 2018, 2019 and 2021.
His remaining look for the membership was within the Premier League on 15 August 2021.
Mendy left Metropolis when his contract expired in June 2023 and presently performs for French aspect Lorient.
Mendy was remanded in custody for 5 months earlier than he was launched on bail in January 2022. The case went to trial for the primary time in August 2022.
In January 2023 he was cleared of six counts of rape and one depend of sexual assault.
He was then cleared of raping a girl and trying to rape one other in July 2023 at a retrial.
The tribunal listening to is anticipated to final two days.
