Arturo Vidal charged with aggravated assault

Arturo Vidal’s nocturnal escapades have returned to haunt him yet again. As reported by Bild and confirmed by TZ, the public prosecutor's office of Munich has brought charges of with aggravated assault—“dangerous bodily injury” or gefährliche Körperverletzung—against Bayern Munich’s midfield “warrior.”

The episode in question was a brawl that broke out in the VIP Lounge of the Crown's Club after Bayern Munich's traditional visit to Oktoberfest in September 2017. Vidal and his brother have both been charged. Three patrons were injured in the scuffle; one of them, a Turkish man, filed charges for pain and scratches he received on his face. He is presumably identical with the German-Turkish man who, according to the initial report, filed charges after a three-liter bottle of Grey Goose was smashed over his head.

“We believe that the conflict was initiated by Arturo Vidal,” chief public prosecutor Florian Weinzierl commented. On the club's video recordings, Vidal can be seen striking two other guests with at least two punches. That stands in contradiction with initial claims that Vidal had merely attempted to deescalate the fight.

The cause of the fight remains unknown. “All of a sudden everyone jumped up; the whole thing lasted a minute,” said club owner Oliver Reif.

Vidal's brother, who has also been charged, allegedly began throwing glasses. Reif, however, is prepared to testify that Vidal was not responsible for the injuries caused by smashing glasses. “Vidal did not have a bottle in his hand. I would say that in court, too.”

The public prosecutor's office told TZ that the charges had been conveyed to Vidal and his attorneys. The prosecutor's office is now deliberating when to set the date for a trial against the brothers. That may take place as soon as this summer, hardly an ideal time as Vidal recovers from a serious injury and is widely thought to be on the cusp of transferring to another club.