Elche to review Rafa Mir sentence before deciding next steps | OneFootball

Elche will examine the court sentence against Rafa Mir, who has been handed eight and a half years in prison for sexual assault and injuries, before determining its next steps. The club holds his registration until 30 June and has a purchase option that now appears unlikely to be exercised.

The club said it learned of the verdict via the media and, without the full ruling, was not in a position to assess it. It added that it would make the appropriate decisions after a rigorous review and that it respects the judicial process.

Mir joined last summer on loan from Sevilla with an option to buy. Elche were already aware of the accusation and that the trial would likely fall during the 2025-26 season, which duly took place at the end of May.

After a strong start, the club, led by Christian Bragarnik, had looked minded to trigger the clause, but that stance faded over time for sporting and non-sporting reasons.

Mir finished the season with eight goals and was relegated to the bench in the final weeks, going without minutes in the decisive run-in while the team fought to stay up. That followed a hamstring issue without an official medical report, then Eder Sarabia’s selection call.

Throughout the campaign Elche upheld Mir’s presumption of innocence in public and private. After a racism controversy in the match against Espanyol involving Omar El Hilali, a case later closed for lack of evidence, the club also stood by a promotional appearance by Mir days later that drew criticism.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo