Former Barcelona youth coach investigated for sexual abuse

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández is “surprised and stunned” the previous director of Barcelona’s youth groups has been accused of sexually abusing dozens of former pupils at a public faculty the place he additionally labored.
Xavi spoke on Saturday shortly after authorities in northeastern Spain mentioned they have been opening an investigation after newspaper ARA reported that over 60 of his former college students accuse Albert Benaiges of getting sexually abused them whereas he was a bodily schooling instructor at a public faculty in Barcelona. ARA mentioned Benaiges has denied any wrongdoing.
It appears not one of the former gamers for Barcelona have joined the accusations.
The 71-year-old Benaiges was a key member of Barcelona’s youth coaching academy from 1991-2011, coinciding with a era of the membership’s finest gamers, together with Andrés Iniesta and Xavi.

Horrific story rising in Barcelona as long-time Barça youth coach Albert Benaiges is accused of sexual abuse by 60 completely different women and men… https://t.co/i31IvNTlhs
— Ben Hayward (@bghayward) December 10, 2021
After stints overseas with international golf equipment, Benaiges returned to Barcelona final yr following the return of Joan Laporta to its presidency. He resigned final week reportedly for private causes.

“I don’t have any information that there have been any type of these episodes, although that does not mean that they did not happen,” Xavi mentioned at a routine pre-match information convention. “He was my coach and I by no means had any suspicions. I’m very shocked and shocked, I didn’t anticipate it.
“This is a very delicate, very complicated issue,” Xavi added. “I have spoken with the coaching staff because we love Albert Benaiges very much. It has surprised us a lot. We always had an excellent relationship, and he left a very good legacy. It is the justice system that will have to decide.”
Barcelona has but to remark publicly on the investigation.