Achraf Hakimi, Paris Saint-Germain defender and Morocco international, has been ordered to stand trial in a rape case, lawyers told the Associated Press on Tuesday.
Hakimi's lawyer Fanny Colin said she will appeal the judge's decision, which followed recommendations from the Nanterre public prosecutor's office. A trial date has not yet been set.
Rachel-Flore Pardo, who represents the plaintiff, told the AP her client welcomed the order "with relief," adding it "is fully consistent with the evidence in the file."
The defender has denied any wrongdoing and said on X he "calmly awaits" a trial that "will allow the truth to emerge publicly."
"Today, an accusation of rape is enough to justify a trial, even though I contest it and everything shows that it is false. This is as unjust for the innocent as it is for genuine victims," he wrote on the eve of a crucial Champions League playoff against Monaco.
Hakimi was given preliminary charges of rape in March 2023 after a 24-year-old woman accused him of assault at his home in a Paris suburb.
In the French legal system, preliminary charges indicate judges have strong reason to suspect a crime was committed but need time for further investigation before deciding whether to proceed to trial.
"A trial has been ordered based on an accusation that rests solely on the word of a woman who obstructed all investigations, refused all medical examinations and DNA testing, refused access to her mobile phone, and refused to provide the name of a key witness," Colin said.
Colin claimed that two successive psychological assessments of the plaintiff "revealed a lack of clarity regarding the facts she claims to denounce, as well as the absence of any post-traumatic symptoms."
In her statement, Pardo said if the justice system has been exemplary in this case, "the broader handling of this affair serves as a reminder of one thing: There remain environments where the MeToo movement has yet to break the sound barrier, chief among them the world of men's professional football."
PSG coach Luis Enrique was asked ahead of the Monaco match whether Hakimi's case changes anything for the team and whether he remains the vice captain. He responded: "This is in the hands of the justice system."
AP Sports Writer Jerome Pugmire in Paris contributed to this report.