• Thomas Partey pleads not guilty to rape and assault charges in London.
• Accusations involve five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault.
• The alleged incidents occurred between 2021 and 2022 during his time at Arsenal.
• Partey released on bail; trial set for November 2, 2026.
• He played for Villarreal in a match against Tottenham shortly after his court appearance.

Thomas Partey, a midfielder for Villarreal and former Arsenal player, pleaded not guilty to charges of rape and sexual assault during a court appearance at Southwark Crown Court in London. The 32-year-old is accused of five counts of rape involving two women and a charge of sexual assault against a third woman, with the alleged offenses occurring between April 2021 and June 2022, while he was with Arsenal, according to Reuters and BBC.

During the court session, Partey confirmed his identity and entered his not guilty pleas, while his lawyer reiterated that he "denies all the charges against him" and is looking forward to clearing his name. He was granted bail, with the trial scheduled to commence on November 2, 2026, as reported by Al Jazeera and Africanews.

Following the court ruling, Partey continued to participate in professional matches, featuring as a substitute for Villarreal in their Champions League encounter against Tottenham Hotspur, where he was met with boos from Spurs fans every time he handled the ball. Tottenham won the match 1-0, highlighting the tension surrounding Partey's presence on the field, according to Reuters and Africanews.