Hakimi scores five-goal haul for PSG at Le Havre ahead of rape trial

Achraf Hakimi scored three goals and provided two assists during PSG’s 1-5 victory at Le Havre on Friday evening in matchday 9 of Ligue 1, confirming his sparkling form despite legal proceedings that are intensifying.

Last month, the Court of Cassation confirmed the referral of the Moroccan right-back to the criminal court of Hauts-de-Seine on rape charges. A decision that, for now, does not appear to weigh on his sporting performances or provoke strong public controversy.

Two recent precedents in professional football warrant caution regarding the outcome of such cases. In 2019, Neymar — then a PSG player — was accused of rape in Brazil; the complaint was ultimately dismissed. In 2021, Benjamin Mendy, a French international, was acquitted after being suspected of rape in England.

These two cases illustrate the difficulty of any prediction in legal matters. French statistics nevertheless indicate that between 70 and 80% of rape cases tried on the merits at assizes result in conviction, with acquittals representing the minority of verdicts.