Hugo Mallon allegedly committed sexual harassment before the first whistle.
Hugo Mallo allegedly pinched the mascot’s breasts. EPA/AOP
The events leading up to the Espanyol-Celta match played next summer in 2019 will be discussed in the Barcelona court.
Celta’s captain Hugo Mallon, 32, allegedly sexually harassed a woman wearing Espanyol’s parrot mascot costume during a pre-game handshake. The woman claims that Mallo put his hand inside her outfit and touched her breasts.
You can see the situation embedded on Marca’s website from the video.
The lawsuit filed by the woman was initially processed in the year of the incident, but at that time, no sufficient evidence was found against the player. With the appeal, the case will now be reheard.
In 2021, the judge justified a new trial by saying that the meeting between the mascot and Mallo will take longer than usual. The mascot was also interpreted as backing down and moving behind another mascot in the situation.
Mallo, who thrives as a winger, is the player who has played the second most games in Celta Iago Aspas after. Last summer, he headed to the Brazilian league and the ranks of Internacional.