Ruben Semedo Given Suspended Sentence for Robbery, Assault, Kidnap & Firearm Possession

Olympiakos defender Ruben Semedo has been handed a five-year suspended prison sentence and eight-year ban from visiting Spain after being convicted of multiple offences.

Semedo was charged with numerous offences in 2018 while playing for Villarreal. He spent five months in prison in Spain, but paid the €30,000 bail conditions in July 2018 in order to continue his footballing career.

Football Espana report that the defender has been found guilty of robbery, assault, kidnapping and possession of a firearm, but has avoided an immediate prison spell.

Semedo admitted to many of the offences, with the court hearing that he was acting on behalf of a third party to whom he was in debt.

The 26-year-old joined Villarreal from Sporting in 2017, but played just five times for the club before being shipped out on loan, first to Huesca and then to Rio Ave.

He joined Olympiakos on a permanent deal in the summer of 2019.

However, prior to his move to Greece, it was announced Semedo would stand trial for an altercation in a bar in November 2017, where he allegedly brandished a firearm.

He was then arrested in February 2018 for a separate incident. Semedo was accused of allegedly tying up and assaulting a man, before stealing the victim's keys, breaking into his apartment and carrying out a large scale theft.

The Portugal Under-21 international was suspended without pay by Villarreal, who had been keen to offload him prior to last summer's move to Greece.

Olympiakos parted with €4.5m to secure the signing of Semedo - €9.5m less than Villarreal had paid to bring him to La Liga two years earlier.

The centre-back received his first call-up to the Portugal national team in the midst of the allegations made towards him when he was named in the October squad for Euro 2020 qualifiers while awaiting trial.