A group of masked men broke into the home of Barcelona forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and attacked and robbed him early on Monday.
According to the FC Barcelona club that confirmed the incident, they said the player and his wife were not harmed and doing well.
Authorities told the Spanish daily El Pais that Aubameyang was hit and forced to open a safe where the couple kept jewellery. The attackers allegedly threatened him and his wife with guns and iron bars.
Authorities said at least four men entered the player’s home and then escaped in a car.
Aubameyang, a Gabon international, signed with Barcelona at the beginning of the year after long stints with Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga and Arsenal in the Premier League.
The 33-year-old did not play in Barcelona’s 4-0 win over Valladolid in the Spanish league on Sunday evening. He is among the players expected to be sold to another team so the club can clear salary cap space.
Two weeks ago, new Barcelona signing Robert Lewandowski had a watch snatched from his arm as he arrived for practice at the club’s training center.
It is not uncommon for footballers’ houses to be robbed in Spain, though the crimes usually happen when the players and their families are away during matches.
Past reported victims to include Casemiro, Alvaro Morata, Gerard Pique, Samuel Umtiti, Jordi Alba, and former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane.
A few years ago Spanish police dismantled a gang that had been robbing players’ houses during games.