Spanish footballer Hugo Mallo faces trial for sexual assault of a rival team’s MASCOT as footage emerges of Celta Vigo captain ‘grabbing the breasts’ of the woman inside a parakeet costume

Former Celta Vigo captain Hugo Mallo will stand trial in July for alleged sexual assault of the woman who worked as Espanyol’s mascot Periquita in 2019. 

The defender – who now plays in Brazil with Internacional de Porto Alegre – was previously due to appear in court at Barcelona‘s Ciutat de la Justicia last year, but the case was postponed and now enters its fifth year after the charge was first brought against Mallo. 

The alleged incident took place in April 2019, when Celta Vigo travelled to Catalonia to face the Periquitos at their Stage Front Stadium, and footage appears to show the former captain – who was leading the player out onto the pitch – linger in a seemingly tight embrace with the mascot. 

In her victim statement, the individual (who is referred to as ‘Ana’ but has upheld her right to anonymity) said that Mallo had ‘grabbed her breasts’ after reaching under her mascot suit. 

‘When Hugo Mallo arrived (to greet) the mascots, he gave his hand to the (male) parakeet (Periquito) as is usually done, but when he reached Ms. Ana, who at that time was playing the role of the (female) parakeet, he introduced his hands under the costume and touched her breasts,’ stated the victim’s initial complaint to the Catalonian police, Mossos d’Esquadra – made the day after the fixture in question. 

Footage from the 2019 fixture shows Mallo quickly greeting the male parakeet (left image) before lingering next to Periquita (right)

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‘According to the declarant, he grabbed her breasts with his hands and began to make movements.’ 

The alleged victim first testified in June of that year, with Mallo offering his own testimony a few days later in July 2019 – where he made a request for the case to be thrown out, which was rejected. 

The case was first deemed to constitute sexual assault in May 2021, further to an intervention by the Ninth Section of the Provincial Court of Barcelona, with a judge stressing that the footage made it clear that ‘something was happening’ with Periquita. 

‘Although it seems to occur quickly, it lasts longer than the rest of the greetings made previously to the mascot, so we do see that something is happening with the mascot (Periquita) and the player, since the mascot moves, (she) takes away (her) hand from the player and stands behind the male mascot,’ the judge told the court. 

‘And we can see from the position of the player that he may have incurred said touches.’ 

Mallo (pictured during the April 2019 fixture) has now moved to Brazil to play for Internacional 

Through her lawyer, the victim is requesting the sentence reflected in article 181.1 of the Penal Code – a 24-month fine, which will go to the state. 

The victim is believed to have given up her role at the club in 2021, having previously worked as Periquita since 2006.