Athletic Club forward Alex Berenguer has come out unscathed from a frightening incident on Sunday night, after returning home from their 0-0 draw with Leganes at San Mames on Sunday night. The 29-year-old was threatened at gunpoint with his partner during an armed robbery attempt.
The Basque winger returned to a chalet in the nearby town of Mungia together with partner Sofia Jemmali after the draw on Sunday, but after arriving, were the victims of a failed armed robbery. Cadena Cope explain that three people clad in balaclavas entered the home with a firearm, but Berenguer managed to shut a glass door, denying them entry. Despite pointing the gun at Berenguer, the weapon was not fired, and the hooded individuals escaped thereafter.
Berenguer noted on social media that other than the emotional impact and the scare, he and Jemmali were otherwise unharmed, and he trained as normal with Athletic on Tuesday.
“I want to thank all the expressions of affection, the calls and messages received. It was a good scare, but we are fine. Now, my priority is the safety and well-being of my family, therefore, I ask for respect and understanding. Thank you!”
An investigation has been opened after the police were called that night to the normally sleepy area, but so far have been unable to locate the perpetrators. The number of armed robberies involving footballers is on the rise, and it is becoming a significant problem for professional players, whose whereabouts is frequently public.
Perhaps the most high profile case in Spain was that of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who was robbed at gunpoint, and suffered a broken draw after being struck during the event while at Barcelona. The Gabonese forward quickly moved to Chelsea afterwards, and has since explained that his children still fear the Catalan city as a result.
