Arthur Melo Charged With Drink Driving After Crashing Ferrari
By Tom Gott
Outgoing Barcelona midfielder Arthur Melo has been 'charged with drink driving' after being involved in a car crash in Girona on Monday morning, according to local reports.
Arthur's season ended in controversy after he refused to return to training following confirmation of his move to Juventus, claiming he was forced out of the club against his will and therefore did not need to come back.
His time in Spain looks set to end on a sour note as well as Diari de Girona note that Arthur was charged after his Ferrari was involved in a 'minor traffic accident' in the early hours of Monday morning.
Local police saw Arthur's car mount the path and bump into a street light, and after confirming that nobody had been injured, they breathalysed the Brazilian and found he was over the legal limit to drive.
Given he still remains under contract at Barcelona, Arthur will likely face further disciplinary proceedings as a result of this incident, adding to the investigation into why he refused to return to training.
Those proceedings could end up delaying Arthur's move to Juventus even more. Sport note that the Italian side want him to be released immediately, but Barcelona are reluctant to let him go without punishing him for his initial actions, and this may only extend things.
"What Arthur's done is a lack of respect towards his teammates because the team is desperate to do well in the Champions League, as is the club," club president Josep Maria Bartomeu said of his refusal to train. "It's not normal that, with such a big trophy on the line, a player decides to remove himself from selection. It's unjustifiable and completely incomprehensible.
"We reached an agreement for him to continue with Barça until the end of the Champions League. He's an important player that could help us. But he didn't come back after a mini-break. It's an unacceptable act of indiscipline. And for that reason, we have opened disciplinary proceedings because there's no argument to justify his absence. He called and he said: 'I won't come back, I am staying in Brazil.' It's his decision. No one gave him permission."
Arthur is set to move in the opposite direction to Miralem Pjanić, who has agreed to move to Camp Nou once this season comes to a close.