Benjamin Mendy has alleged that Manchester City was aware that several of his team-mates attended parties he hosted, where “casual relations with women” occurred.
The former left-back, who was acquitted of rape and sexual assault charges last year, is taking the club to a tribunal.
He claims that several players, including the club captain, were present at these sex parties.
Mendy is seeking £11 million in unpaid wages after being suspended in August 2021.
His £6 million annual salary was halted while he awaited trial on four counts of rape. Following his acquittal last year, he resumed his career with Lorient in France.
The 30-year-old alleges that his team-mates participated in these alcohol-fueled events and that Manchester City was aware of their involvement.
He did not name any players in his claims, and there is no suggestion that any of the interactions were non-consensual.
Midfielder Fernandinho was the club captain during the initial police investigation into Mendy, while Vincent Kompany and David Silva had served as captains earlier in his tenure at City.
“Several Manchester City first-team players, including the club captain, were all present at the parties that I attended and hosted,” Mendy said in a statement, via the Telegraph.
“We all drank alcohol.
“We all had casual relations with women.
“We all breached Covid-19 restrictions.
“This does not excuse my behaviour, but I feel that it is unfair for Manchester City to single me out in the way that they have.
“The difference between me and the other Manchester City players is that I was the one that was falsely accused of rape and publicly humiliated.”
Mendy added: “I can’t help but feel that the club are trying to paint a narrative that I was acting recklessly, and my alleged recklessness led to me being arrested for crimes I did not commit. I would just like to stress that at the time in question, I was doing nothing different than several of Manchester City’s first-team players.”
Manchester City withheld Benjamin Mendy’s salary from September 2021 until his contract expired in June 2023, deeming him unavailable for work during the legal proceedings, which included both a trial and a retrial.
The World Cup winner added: “I was just as ready, willing and able to perform my duties as the other Manchester City players that Manchester City knew attended the parties, and on Manchester City’s account, acted recklessly.
“I am not, however, aware of Manchester City deducting or suspending the pay of any of the other players even when it was public knowledge that such players had attended the parties.
“I do, therefore, feel it incredibly unjust that Manchester City effectively singled me out from the team when I was doing nothing different to the rest of the team.”
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