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Achraf Hakimi included in PSG squad for Champions League clash with Bayern Munich despite facing rape charges


Achraf Hakimi has been included in Paris Saint-Germain's squad for their Champions League last-16 clash with Bayern Munich despite French prosecutors formally investigating him over rape allegation.

The Morrocan footballer has been named in Christophe Galtier's 22-man squad for Wednesday's match against the German champions at the Allianz Arena.

French prosecutors opened a formal investigation last week, following an accusation Hakimi raped a woman at his home in the Paris suburbs last month.

A 24-year-old woman attended a police station last month to report an incident, but did not file charges.

The investigation was later opened with a pre-trial judge currently will looking over the merits of the case after Hakimi was questioned on Thursday.

Hakimi's lawyer Fanny Colin has said the accusations are 'false' and has claimed he has been the victim of 'attempted racketeering'.

'After several hours of hearings, what I take from it is that the accuser has not filed a legal complaint, has refused to submit herself to any medical or psychological tests, and refused to be confronted with 

Achraf Hakimi, even though the accusations rests solely on her words,' Colin told L'Equipe.

'It seems to me that according to the elements which are in the hands of the judicial police that Mr. Hakimi has, in this case, been the subject of attempted racketeering.'

Hakimi's inclusion in the PSG squad for the Champions League last-16 match with Bayern Munich comes with Le Parisien reporting the investigation does not prohibit him from leaving the country.

The full-back watched PSG's 4-2 win over Nantes on Saturday from the stands, as he recovers from a hamstring injury which ruled him out of the French champions' last three games.

PSG will look to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit against Bayern on Wednesday to advance to the quarter-finals. 

PSG last week confirmed they were backing the full-back with a statement saying 'The club supports the player, who has firmly denied the accusations and trusts the justice system. Paris Saint-Germain is an institution that promotes respect on and off the pitch.' 
 

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