Man Utd fan Rachel Riley blasts ‘heinous’ Antony abuse allegations after taking stand against club over Mason Greenwood
MANCHESTER United fan Rachel Riley has blasted Antony over domestic violence allegations after previously taking a stand against the club over Mason Greenwood.
The presenter, 37, called for domestic abuse experts to be involved in Man United's "club processes" as the £85million winger denies assaulting ex-girlfriend Gabriela Cavallin.
Rachel's intervention comes after she was also outspoken against United reintegrating Greenwood into the squad before his move to Getafe.
She claimed that the club were "green-lighting abuse" with their apparent support for the player - and vowed to stop supporting Man Utd if they allowed the forward to return.
The Countdown co-host and Man United fan has now reacted to the allegations against Antony after his ex shared new texts and pictures apparently detailing her claims.
The star has been dropped by the Brazil national team, and is facing police probes in his home country and in the UK.
Read more about Antony's probe
Antony denies all allegations and has vowed to clear his name.
Cavallin alleges she was verbally and physically abused by the footballer, claiming he left her with a sliced finger and attacked her while she was pregnant.
"Is anyone doing any due diligence on these players?" Riley wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"Heinous stuff described in these accusations.";
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"This time domestic abuse experts need to be involved in the club’s processes."
A spokesman for Manchester United said the club does not have any comment.
GMP said in a statement on Monday on Antony: "Greater Manchester Police is aware of the allegations made and enquiries remain ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding this report.
"We will not be commenting any further at this time."
On Monday, Gabriela hit back with a formal letter on Instagram as cops carry on an investigation in her native São Paulo, Brazil.
The influencer and DJ's statement comes after Antony released his own lengthy statement on Instagram, admitting he had a "tumultuous" relationship with Gabriela.
She says she dated the World Cup ace on and off for two years and lived with him in Amsterdam while he played for Ajax.
The 23-year-old claims the first assault came at a nightclub in São Paulo last July when she was around 17 weeks pregnant with his baby.
Gabriela, who has nearly 500,000 Instagram followers, published a letter issued by her legal team.
It read: "Gabriela Cavallin's defence, in view of the facts and evidence that became public knowledge on this date, regarding the repeated episodes of aggression suffered by her, informs that she trusts the serious and competent investigation by the Civil Police of São Paulo.
"[And] hopes that, as such, once completed, the aggressor will be prosecuted and punished for the crimes he committed."
A statement from Antony was published just hours later, where he said he felt "obliged" to break his silence "out of respect for my fans, friends and family".
The 23-year-old footballer once again denied the accusations of domestic violence - echoing his first statement published in June.
"Out of respect for my fans, friends and family, I feel obliged to speak out publicly about the false accusations that I have been a victim of," he wrote.
"From the beginning, I have treated this matter with seriousness and respect, providing the necessary clarifications to the police.
"The investigation is under judicial secrecy, and therefore I cannot make its contents public.
"However, I can calmly say that the accusations are false, and that the current evidence and the ones yet to be produced demonstrate my innocence.
He added that his relationship with Gabriela was "tumultuous" but claims it never resulted in violence.
"My relationship with Mrs. Gabriela was tumultuous, with verbal insults from both sides, but I never committed any physical aggression," he explained.
"Each time, whether in testimony or in an interview, she presents a different version of the accusations.
"Therefore, I come to vehemently deny the accusations made and inform you that I remain at the entire disposal of the Brazilian authorities to clarify anything.
"I trust that ongoing police investigations will demonstrate the truth about my innocence."
The online statement war comes after Gabriela shared a new string of text messages and pictures of her injuries as cops in Brazil carry on with the domestic violence probe.
Cavallin's fresh claims were first published by Brazilian media outlet , one of the South American country's largest news providers.
In the new string of undated WhatsApp messages, the DJ and influencer claims Antony wished she was dead and told her "go f*** yourself" after she allegedly refused to reply to his messages and calls.
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The Premier League ace was also axed from the Brazil national squad and replaced by Gabriel Jesus ahead of this month's two World Cup qualifiers.
In a statement, the Brazilian FA (CBF) informed that the cut occurred "due to the facts that became public this Monday and that need to be investigated, and in order to preserve the alleged victim."
How you can get help
Women's Aid has this advice for victims and their families:
- Always keep your phone nearby.
- Get in touch with charities for help, including the Women’s Aid live chat helpline and services such as SupportLine.
- If you are in danger, call 999.
- Familiarise yourself with the Silent Solution, reporting abuse without speaking down the phone, instead dialing “55”.
- Always keep some money on you, including change for a pay phone or bus fare.
- If you suspect your partner is about to attack you, try to go to a lower-risk area of the house – for example, where there is a way out and access to a telephone.
- Avoid the kitchen and garage, where there are likely to be knives or other weapons.
- Avoid rooms where you might become trapped, such as the bathroom, or where you might be shut into a cupboard or other small space.
If you are a victim of domestic abuse, SupportLine is open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 8pm on 01708 765200. The charity’s email support service is open weekdays and weekends during the crisis – [email protected].
Women’s Aid provides a - available weekdays from 8am-6pm and weekends 10am-6pm.
You can also call the freephone 24-hour National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.