Police have claimed that they were just acting in self defence against Tiemoue Bakayoko, after the Chelsea and AC Milan midfielder was videoed being held at gunpoint.
On Monday, a video of Bakayoko being searched by police officers in the middle of the street went viral, with the Frenchman held at gunpoint, as you can see below.
Whilst the video was taken earlier this month, it was shared around on social media this week, with fans outraged at the treatment of the 27-year-old.
Advert
The police have now responded, claiming that they acted correctly in the situation and in self defence.
"It should be noted that the search occurred in an operational context that justified the adoption of the highest security measures," a statement published on Reuters said.
"Also as a function of self-protection, and [it] was carried out in a manner absolutely consistent with the type of alarm in progress.
"Once the person had been identified and [it had been] established that he was not involved, the service was resumed without any kind of remark from the person concerned."
The video showed the Chelsea midfielder, who has been on loan at AC Milan for the past two seasons, being restrained and then put up against the side of the police car.
Advert
That's where the player was held at gun point and then searched, before the officer begins to realise that he may have the wrong person.
Two other officers also appeared on the scene, pointing their guns towards the car, as the player's pockets are emptied, whilst another officer approaches the other man in the car.
Defending their approach of the former Monaco man in an earlier statement, the police officers said, "The police action was triggered because Bakayoko and the other passenger corresponded perfectly, by chance, to the descriptions we had, and obviously it ended when it was realised that we had stopped a person who did not have anything to do with it [the crime]."
The 27-year-old was part of the Monaco side that won Ligue 1 in 2017 and then moved to Chelsea that summer, but things didn't work out for him.
Advert
He is in his second loan spell at Milan, having also played for Monaco and Napoli temporarily, but it doesn't look like the Rossoneri will be signing him permanently.
Instead it looks like he could be leaving both the San Siro and Stamford Bridge this summer, with Marseille rumoured to be interested.
Featured Image Credit: TwitterTopics: AC Milan, Chelsea, Premier League, Serie A, Italy