Kylian Mbappe was “astonished” to discover his name linked to the Swedish rape inquiry, and the Real Madrid as well as France star will file a libel suit, his lawyer told AFP late Tuesday. Mbappe’s attorney, Marie-Alix Canu-Bernard, stated that the French national team captain was “at rest” because “he had done nothing wrong” after reports in the media in Sweden suggested the player was a suspect after visiting Stockholm with pals. A Swedish prosecutor announced earlier Tuesday said a rape probe had been launched without identifying Mbappe.

Mbappe was the subject of an investigation after his two-day stay in the city last week, according to Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet along with Expressen, and the Swedish public broadcast SVT. Speaking to AFP, Canu-Bernard stated that Mbappe had “asked my office not to leave things as they are because it is impossible to allow yourself to be slandered and defamed in this way”.

“This is why we are going to file a complaint for libel.”

Sweden’s Prosecution Authority stated the alleged rape had place at a hotel on October 10, but did not name a suspect and said no further information could be released at this time. According to a filing with the Stockholm district court accessed by AFP, the alleged crime occurred at the posh Bank Hotel in the heart of Sweden’s city.

The names of the complainant and suspect were both blacked out from the document. Expressen identified Mbappe as the suspect on Monday, citing unknown sources, and Aftonbladet and SVT confirmed this on Tuesday. According to Expressen, Mbappe was “reasonably suspected” of rape and sexual assault, which is the lower of two levels of suspicion in Swedish law. 

According to the Prosecution Authority, a higher level of suspicion, or “probable cause,” is normally required for a suspect to be detained in jail before a formal charge. The plaintiff’s lawyer, Petra Lund, told AFP on Tuesday that she “could not give any comment at this stage”.

Seized evidence

The French star was not chosen for his country’s most recent round of UEFA Nations League fixtures, so he traveled to Stockholm with a group of individuals last Wednesday. According to Aftonbladet, they had dinner at a restaurant before heading to a nightclub. Mbappe and his group left Sweden on Friday. Aftonbladet said that the complaint was filed on Saturday after the alleged victim sought medical assistance.