The Barcelona midfielder Arda Turan is facing a hefty prison sentence if the full brunt of the law is brought down on him in his native Turkey over an alleged assault in an Istanbul nightclub.
Turan, 32, could serve anywhere from three to 12-and-a-half years if convicted of the charges he’s facing as a result of that incident, which is alleged to have happened in October last year, according to the reporting of Spanish outlet Marca. Proceedings have just begun in his trial.
Those charges include sexual harassment, inflicting intentional injuries, shooting a firearm in a way to cause panic, and carrying weapons without a license. Turan denies the charges.
It was with another well-known Turkish personality, the singer Berkay Sahin, that this encounter is alleged to have taken place. It was, it’s claimed by the prosecution, sparked by an argument over comments made by Turan to Sahin’s wife, Ozlem Ada.
He’s alleged to have told her: “If I was not married, I wouldn't miss a girl like you."
Sahin, it’s alleged, then confronted Turan, who then appeared to attack him and break his nose in an assault that was caught on camera.
The former Atletico Madrid man is then alleged by Turkish media reports, reproduced by Spanish paper AS, to have travelled to the hospital where Sahin was being treated before presenting him with a gun and saying: "I didn't know she is your wife. I'm sorry. Shoot me if you want."
Turan has already been slapped with a £320,000 fine for the incident from his club but they’ve elected to keep him on the books until the judgement of the Turkish courts is forthcoming.