Featured Image Credit: PA
Topics: AC Milan, Manchester City, Robinho, Brazil, Italy
Ryan Sidle
Robinho could be set to serve his nine year prison sentence after being found guilty of being part of a gang rape, with Italy serving an international arrest warrant for the Brazilian.
Robinho was initially found guilty of gang raping a woman after plying her with alcohol in a nightclub by a Milan court in 2017, along with five other Brazilian men.
Last month the Supreme Court in Rome upheld a nine year sentence for the 38-year-old, during a final appeal that meant it could not longer be appealed against.
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The former AC Milan star now lives back in Brazil and a prosecutor in Milan has now issued an international arrest warrant for the forward, who was most recently signed to Santos.
La Repubblica report that the Italian justice system have asked for the extradition of both Robinho and friend Ricardo Falco, who was also convicted, from Brazil.
However, the South American country's constitution actually vetoes the extradition of Brazilian nationals, so it's yet to be seen if that will happen.
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Jacopo Gnocchi, the prosecuting lawyer, said, "We have learned that the Milan Public Prosecutor has forwarded an extradition request to the Brazilian authorities, through the Ministry of Justice.
"The problem therefore becomes one of a diplomatic and political nature.
"My client does not care if Robinho will serve the sentence in Italy or Brazil: the important thing is that justice is done until the end and that the sentence, now final, is respected."
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The incident that Robinho was found guilty of, despite his repeated denial, happened in 2013 during his time playing at the San Siro.
The former Manchester City player moved to the Rossoneri in 2010 after his two year spell in the Premier League, when he was the first signing for the Abu Dhabi United Group.
He scored 25 times in 108 Serie A goals for the club and helped them win the Serie A title in his first season with the club, their most recent time as Italian champions.
After three seasons in Turkey, he returned to Brazil with Santos in 2020 but didn't make a single appearance for the club, due to a huge backlash over his signing.