Manchester United winger Antony denies abuse allegations in tearful interview

Manchester United winger Antony was in tears as he denied allegations of abusing his former girlfriend in an interview in Brazil.

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The 23-year-old’s former girlfriend, Gabriela Cavallin, has alleged that she was physically attacked by Antony on multiple occasions during their time together in Manchester and in their native Brazil.

Two more women, Rayssa de Freitas and Ingrid Lana, have also made accusations of abuse against the Brazil international.

United insist they are taking the Antony abuse allegations ‘seriously’ after Greater Manchester Police confirmed that enquires are ongoing.

Antony has now spoken openly about the allegations during an interview with Brazilian TV show Fofocalizando on Friday.

‘I am 100 per cent sure that I have never touched a woman. And I will come with the proof. People will see the truth,’ Antony said.

‘I have never attacked and I never will attack. I’m sure I never committed physical violence. Verbal violence… I offended her and she offended me too. It was on both sides. Physical violence, never.

‘What I want most is to show the people that this is who I am. I want to achieve many things. I have many goals and many dreams. I want to show who I really am. I dream of returning to the national team and I want to show that Antony is innocent of all this.’

Responding directly to Cavallin’s claim that he attacked her in a hotel earlier this year, which left her with a cut on her head, Antony replied: ‘Negative. I never touched her.

‘I’ll never headbutt someone. She was in a hotel and sent me a message. I trained in the morning, I took my car and we went to her hotel. We had lunch together normally, we talked normally, everything was normal. But there was one thing that irritated her, which was when I said I needed to go because I had appointments.

‘I said I needed to go, we had an argument, she grabbed my face and said: ‘Look at me!’ She did so and put her hand on my face. I went to the bathroom, stayed there for a while, stayed there for about five minutes, then came out and said: ‘I need to leave’. She [stopped] at the door and said: ‘You’re not going’, and she didn’t let me. I tried to leave and she wouldn’t let me.

‘Then she broke glasses and plates. She threw it on the ground and threw it towards me too. She came on top of me. At that moment, I held her. At no point did I get to press it. I didn’t headbutt her. When she sent me the photo [of a bleeding head], I had already left, I was already home. I was at the hotel with her before and she wasn’t hurt. I do not know what happened. We were there, I held her and calmed her, after a while she calmed down. We talked and I went home, because I had other commitments with my work.’

Cavallin has also accused Antony of punching her, which caused damage to a breast implant and required surgery.

When asked about that specific allegation, Antony said: ‘Never. I punch a woman in the chest? Like I said to you, I held her, but I didn’t hold her tight. Her silicone situation was diagnosed in 2020, before I met her. She already had to change a silicone thing.’

When asked if he has fears about his contract with United being terminated, Antony replied: ‘It’s something that doesn’t cross my mind.

‘I know the truth and it will come out. I know that many are massacring me, but the truth always comes out. United is on top of the investigation, everything. They are following and will continue to follow.’

Antony was also dropped by Brazil’s national team this week in response to the allegations.

‘It was difficult,’ Antony said.

‘I was really upset, especially because of something that I’m sure isn’t true and has become so big. I was here with my mother when I found out I was going to be cut. No, it’s easy.’

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