Man United keep mum as Brazil drop Antony over ex-lover’s assault claim

The Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) has dropped Antony, the Manchester United player, from the national team over assault allegations by Gabriela Cavallin, his former girlfriend.

The federation said the 23-year-old will be replaced by Gabriel Jesus after “facts became public” that “need to be investigated”.

Cavallin shared details of the alleged attack to Brazilian news outlet UOL — with the report published on Monday.

In the report, she claimed the player threatened to kill her and attacked her with a glass.

The report alleged that Antony attacked Cavallin “with a headbutt” in a Manchester hotel room on January 15.

She was said to have gotten an injured head which needed treatment from a doctor.

“He said that if I didn’t stay with him, I wouldn’t stay with anyone. That I was pregnant with his child. Either I would stay with him or I, him and our son would die,” she said.

“I told him I was pregnant, that he was scaring me, making my heart race. I was trembling with fear.”

Cavallin also provided UOL with photographs and WhatsApp messages as “evidence”.

Although Antony described the report as “false”, police in Manchester and Sao Paolo are investigating the allegation.

“I can calmly state that the accusations are false and that the evidence already produced and the other evidence that will be produced demonstrate that I am innocent of the accusations made,” he said.

“I trust that the ongoing police investigations will demonstrate the truth about my innocence.”

In a statement, the CBF said Antony will not be part of the squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Bolivia and Peru.

“According to the facts that came public on Monday (04/09), involving attacker Antony of Manchester United, and that need to be established, and in order to preserve the alleged victim, the player, the Brazilian team and the CBF, the entity reports that the athlete is unavailable from the Brazilian team,” it reads.

“For his place, technician Fernando Diniz called Gabriel Jesus, who was pre-selected on a list of 36 players, sent to FIFA,” CBF announced.”

Antony becomes the second Manchester United player to be accused of abusing his partner.

Mason Greenwood was suspended by United and was recently sent out on loan to Getafe after a six-month internal investigation.

BBC reports that Manchester United said they had no comment on the matter at present.