Italy and Paris St-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and his partner have been attacked and robbed at their home in Paris.
BBC reported early Friday that the couple was targeted by “several people” and tied up at their flat in the eighth district in the center of the capital, according to police sources.
They are then said to have to escape to a nearby hotel and the alarm was raised by hotel staff before the couple were taken to hospital.
“An investigation has been opened on charges of armed robbery in an organised gang and aggravated violence following the events that took place overnight at Mr Donnarumma’s place,” a spokesperson for Paris prosecutor’s office told the BBC.
Unconfirmed reports on the news site Actu17 say the attackers made off with jewelry, watches and luxury leather goods worth as much as €500,000 (£430,000).
The footballer was lightly injured while his partner, model Alessia Elefante, was unharmed, sources told Agence France Presse.
The prosecutor’s office said France’s special BRB police unit targeting armed robbery and burglaries had begun an investigation.
Gianluigi Donnarumma, 24, was due to join the Paris St-Germain squad later on Friday ahead of the club’s first pre-season friendly match against Le Havre and a tour of Japan and South Korea.
He is not the first PSG goalkeeper to have been targeted by gangs, but most previous attacks have taken place while the victim is not at home.
Last January, two men were given jail terms for a robbery in March 2021 at the home of Brazil footballer Marquinhos in Yvelines to the west of Paris.
Marquinhos was playing at the time of the incident but his father and two daughters were in the house. The home of his teammate Angel Di Maria was burgled on the same day.