Tottenham Hotspur star Serge Aurier will be relieved after narrowly escaping an assault charge when police were called to his Hertfordshire home last Saturday.
Serge Aurier Escapes Assault Charge
The tempestuous defender, who arrived from Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, was initially arrested following an argument with his reality TV star girlfriend Hencha Voigt just ahead of Sunday’s vital clash with Manchester United, in which he didn’t feature.
The fiery 26-year-old Ivory Coast international was arrested by Hertfordshire police on suspicion of actual bodily harm, a charge he is strongly denying.
A spokeswoman for the police was issued confirming he had been detained, but was later released without charge.
More Trouble Than He’s Worth?
It’s not the first time Aurier has had dealings with the law. In 2016, he was arrested outside a nightclub in Paris, resulting in a breath test. He was later found guilty and given a two-month prison sentence. Following an appeal, this was reversed shortly after.
It doesn’t stop there, as in 2015 he was banned for ’insulting acts’ aimed at a Champions League referee during a tie with Premier League side Chelsea. Despite not featuring the match, he was reprimanded for detrimental comments regarding the dismissal of Zlatan Ibrahimovic on his Facebook account.
He was ruled out once again by PSG from a Champions League tie with Arsenal in 2016, this time pertaining to a conviction of an assault on a French police officer. The charge resulted in him being denied entry to the UK.
A short statement was released by Tottenham about Saturday’s assault. It said: ”We are aware of an incident concerning Serge Aurier at the weekend.”
It’s only speculative to say the incident was the reason for his absence from Sunday’s game. The volatile star is not always the first choice of Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino.
There is no doubt, though, that his temperament remains an issue with his current club, both on and off the pitch.
Though not charged this time, Spurs will not welcome the media focus on the defender.
Pain for Kane
Star striker Harry Kane will be resuming training in early March, and Moussa Sissoko is also nursing an injury. Both happening during Sunday’s tie with Manchester United, there is a minor injury crisis forming at the North London club.
Defensive midfielder Eric Dier is still out following an operation to remove his appendix, Korean star Heung-min Son will be absent for a month to play in the Asian Cup, and Victor Wanyama is still ruled out with an ongoing injury.
All bad timing for the team who are due to finally move into their new home. They also face an important tie with Borussia Dortmund next month. Notwithstanding the chase for the top spot in the Premiership, the next few weeks could determine Tottenham’s finish to the current season.
