City star Mendy accused of rape

Benjamin Mendy faces the sternest test of his career.

He now faces a total of six allegations of rape and one of sexual assault.

The footballer appeared by video-link at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday afternoon.

The footballer was initially charged on August 26 with three counts of rape relating to an alleged incident in October 2020, one count of raping a woman in August this year, and the sexual assault of a woman in early January 2021.

Those alleged offences relate to four women over the age of 16.

Mendy appeared alongside his co-accused, Louis Saha Matturie, 40, who has also been charged with two additional counts of rape and one of sexual assault.

No application for bail was made at Wednesday’s hearing.

Both men are due to go on trial on January 24 2022.

Mendy has played for Manchester City since 2017, when he joined from Monaco.

He was suspended by the club after being charged by police, pending an investigation.

He is currently on remand at HMP Altcourse in Liverpool.

Mendy was part of France’s World Cup winning squad in 2018, but did not play in the final.

He has made 75 appearances for Man City since signing from Monaco in 2017.