Carvajal defends his stance on Rubiales and Hermoso

Real Madrid and Spain right-back Dani Carvajal has clarified his comments on the scandal involving the suspended Spanish football federation (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales and the women’s national team star Jenni Hermoso. Carvajal had said in an interview with Onda Cero on Tuesday that he would not judge whether Hermoso was a victim or not until the legal process was completed.

The incident occurred on August 20 2023, when Rubiales kissed Hermoso without her consent after Spain’s World Cup triumph. The video of the kiss went viral and sparked outrage among fans, players, and media. Hermoso later said she felt “humiliated” and “violated” by Rubiales’ action.

Carvajal, who is currently with the Spain squad for the Euro 2024 qualifiers, faced questions from the press on Wednesday about his stance on the matter. He said he did not intend to downplay Hermoso’s suffering or defend Rubiales’ behavior.

“I never said that Jenni is not a victim; I said that we have to respect the presumption of innocence. I don’t think the president is having a good time, but I’m not here to judge anyone,” he said at a press conference on Wednesday.

“I speak as a player and I have no complaints (about Rubiales).” Carvajal continued. “He has always treated me well and helped me when I was injured. He has done many good things for Spanish football,”

Carvajal also said he hoped that the situation would be resolved soon and that Spanish football would regain its prestige and credibility.

“We want this to end as soon as possible and that justice is done. We want to focus on our games and give joy to our fans. We want Spanish football to be respected and admired again,” he said.