Genoa midfielder Manolo Portanova has been dropped after an initial guilty verdict in a rape trial, but his father urged the player to ‘feed on the mean things people say.’
The 22-year-old faced trial with his uncle and several friends for their part in an alleged gang rape, and the initial verdict was a guilty one with a six-year prison sentence.
However, the Italian justice system has at least another two levels of appeal and until those are exhausted, he cannot be formally considered guilty, nor spend any time behind bars.
Nonetheless, an initial guilty verdict does make it very difficult for Genoa to continue playing him and he has been left out of the two Serie B games since the judge passed his ruling.
Portanova’s father Daniele, who was a centre-back at clubs including Napoli, Bologna and Genoa, sent a message of support via Facebook.
“My son, feed on the mean things people say. I am always by your side. Innocence cannot be bought.”
Manolo Portanova has always insisted the encounter with the student was consensual and that he was unaware of what the others in the apartment did afterwards.
She too testified that she had intended to spend the night with Portanova and did not know the others were even in the apartment, but heard strange noises and tried to turn the light on.