Mbappé to take legal action for libel over Swedish rape investigation

Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe and a group of friends visited Stockholm last week.

Kylian Mbappe was "shocked" to see his name linked to a Swedish rape investigation and the Real Madrid and France star will take legal action for libel, his lawyer has said.

Mbappe's lawyer, Marie-Alix Canu-Bernard, insisted that the captain of the French national team was "at ease" because "he has done nothing wrong", after media reports in Sweden said the player was a suspect following a visit with friends to Stockholm.

A Swedish prosecutor said on Tuesday that a rape investigation had been opened without mentioning Mbappe.

Swedish newspapers Aftonbladet and Expressen, as well as public broadcaster SVT, reported that Mbappe was the target of the investigation, following his two-day visit to the city last week.

Speaking to AFP, Canu-Bernard said Mbappe had "asked my office not to leave things as they are because it is impossible to allow yourself to be slandered and defamed in this way".

"This is why we are going to file a complaint for libel."

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Sweden's Prosecution Authority said that the alleged rape had occurred at a hotel on 10 October but did not name a suspect and said no further information could be shared for the moment.

"In response to media reports about a suspected rape in Stockholm, the prosecutor can confirm that a criminal report has been submitted to the police," a statement said.


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