Nottingham Forest right-back Gonzalo Montiel, currently on loan from Sevilla, has been ordered to go back to Argentina and undergo a psychiatric evaluation following accusations of rape.
The Argentine defender is accused of sexually assaulting a model during his birthday party on January 1, 2019.
Montiel and his friend, Alexis Acosta, are under formal investigation for allegedly drugging and raping the woman.
According to reports from Argentine news outlet TN, Montiel will return to his home country for the evaluation, while Acosta is scheduled for a similar assessment.
The 27-year-old Montiel, who scored the decisive penalty for Argentina in the 2022 World Cup final shootout, joined Nottingham Forest on loan from Sevilla until the end of the last season.
At the time of the alleged incident, Montiel was playing for River Plate, before moving to Sevilla in the summer of 2021 for a transfer fee of €11 million.
Montiel’s partner, Karina Nacucchio, has publicly expressed her support for him amid the allegations.
As of now, no indictment has been filed, leaving the case’s future uncertain.
Nottingham Forest’s season marred with controversies
Nottingham Forest have faced multiple controversies this season, both on and off the pitch.
They were docked points for breaching Premier League profit and sustainability rules and also charged by the FA for an explosive social media post following a contentious defeat against Everton.
The situation with Montiel adds another controversy tied with the club. The player is on loan at Forest however, the club has the option to sign him on a permanent deal.
Whether they exercise that option or not, remains to be seen.