Abidal begs wife for forgiveness amid "humiliation" as alleged affair exposed

Eric Abidal has issued a passionate plea for forgiveness to wife Hayet on social media after she filed for divorce amid claims he had an extramarital affair.

The former Barcelona sporting director is alleged to have had a relationship with PSG professional footballer Kheira Hamraoui.

Hayet claimed in a press release (via RMC Sport.) that her husband had admitted to her that he had been involved in an affair with Hamraoui.

The link between the two first came to light when it emerged that Hamraoui's phone was registered in Abidal's name.

Abidal's legal representatives declined to comment at the time Hayet began divorce proceedings, but the ex-France international has now begged for forgiveness on Instagram.

Instagram

Addressing his wife, his post read: "Hayetabidal forgive me. Whatever your decision, you will remain in my eyes the woman of my life, and especially the mother of our wonderful children.

"I deserve this humiliation even though it kills me alive. Thank God, God willing one day you will forgive me. #loveyoutothemoonandback."

News of the alleged affair became public after Hamraoui was assaulted by two masked men earlier this month.

Police then made Abidal a person of interest in the case due to Hamraoui's phone being registered under his name.

Hamraoui was already playing for Barcelona when Abidal was appointed as the club's sporting director in 2018.

Both are now due to be questioned as part of the judicial proceedings being carried out in the investigation by the authorities in Versailles.

Hayet is also expected to be questioned but there is no suggestion of her playing any role in the attack, while her lawyers have denied she had any involvement.

It was after the attack when Abidal is said to have admitted his alleged fling with Hamraoui.

Hayet's lawyer, Nicolas Cellupica, wrote in a statement to AFP that Abidal had "confessed to his wife to have an adulterous relationship with Madame Hamraoui."

It was on November 4 that Hamraoui was attacked going for dinner with teammates Aminata Diallo and Sakina Karchaoui.

Diallo was driving both players and dropped Karchaoui off at her home at around 10:30pm, before the attackers struck en route to Hamraoui's home in Chatou, which was just minutes away.

Recalling the incident in an interview with L'Equipe, Hamraoui said: "My attacker hit me with an iron bar several times.

"I saw that he was mainly targeting my legs and I was trying to protect myself with my hands. At that time, I didn't see a weapon.

"They immediately start yelling: 'Open the door! Open the door!' The one on my side grabbed me and pulled me out of the vehicle.

"Before, he grabbed a rectangular iron bar that he had hidden in his pants or under his sweater."

Abidal has been married to Hayet - a former gymnast - since 2003 and they couple share five children together.

He enjoyed a successful playing career which totalled 513 appearances between 2001 and 2015 with Monaco, Lille, Lyon, Barcelona and the French national side.

He won a total of 20 trophies across his career with his six-season stint at the Camp Nou the most memorable - winning four La Liga titles with the Catalan giants alongside the Champions League trophies in 2009 and 2011.