Thomas Partey protests notable by absence on Villarreal debut against Oviedo
Midfielder comes off bench in 82nd minute in La Liga
Partey, 32, has denied rape and sexual assault charges
Thomas Partey was greeted with some whistles, a little applause and no major protest as he made his competitive debut for Villarreal. The 32-year-old former Arsenal midfielder has been released on bail, charged with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, which he denies, and his signing had drawn complaints from supporters in Spain but on his first La Liga appearance at the Estadio de la Cerámica on Friday night there was mostly indifference.
Partey was introduced in the 82nd minute, alongside Alfonso Pedraza, with Santi Comesaña and Nicolas Pépé making way. As the two players entered the pitch, with Villarreal already 2-0 up against Real Oviedo and the game drifting to a conclusion, some whistles could be heard among the clapping. Partey touched the ball 13 times, and the first four or five of those were met more clearly with whistles, although they soon faded. They did not come from a particularly significant portion of the crowd. There was also some timid applause in response to the whistles.
