Manchester United hero reacts to former international team-mate’s arrest
Former Ecuadorian international Cristian Lara played in the 2006 World Cup (Image: TIMM SCHAMBERGER/DDP/AFP via Getty Images)
Manchester United icon Antonio Valencia has reacted to the arrest of one of his former Ecuador team-mates. Police recently arrested Christian Lara on suspicion of being involved in an attempted armed robbery.
Lara, 45, played for Ecuador at the 2006 World Cup alongside United heroes Valencia. He played in two games in the tournament, coming on as a substitute in the group stage match against Germany and coming off the bench in the Round of 16 match against England.
The former winger, nicknamed “Diablito”, was arrested after attempting to rob an electronics store in Quito. Ecuadorian media outlet Primicias reported that Lara was stopped by police as she waited in a car without a license plate.
He was one of four people arrested and detained. Former United star Valencia has since responded to Lara’s arrest.
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Valencia posted on social media: “Very sad to hear about the death of Cristian Lara. At the end of the day, no one knows what’s going on.” “We pray that God watches over all our hearts and that Christian (Lara) is in a better situation tomorrow.”
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The two were teammates at El Nacional from 2003 to 2005, early in Valencia’s career. Their bond continued on the international stage, with both helping Ecuador reach the 2006 World Cup.
Lara won 28 caps for his country and won three Ecuadorian Serie A titles with El Nacional and LDU Quito. He retired in 2018, but has made brief returns from retirement in recent years.
Regarding the attempted robbery, Primicias said a police report said an armed assailant entered the store and demanded his iPhone. Police said two people inside the store tried to flee the scene and fired at officers.
Former Manchester United star Antonio Valencia has reacted to Christian Lara’s recent arrest (Image: Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)
After the incident, Police Chief Pablo Lastra said: “We can confirm that we have arrested four people allegedly involved in the attempted robbery of a technology shop in an area called La Magdalena in Quito, the capital of Ecuador.”
“Officers responded to an emergency call and, thanks to their quick response, managed to stop the crime at a store called Technomega. Approximately six people armed with firearms entered the premises with the intent of robbery.
“In addition to the four suspects, we also seized three firearms, including a homemade mini-rifle. We also recovered several firearm cartridges and electronic devices.”
On April 7, Ecuador’s Interior Minister John Reinberg said of the attempted robbery of the X: “The incident occurred in the La Magdalena area, where the National Police responded to a robbery in progress. The armed suspects attempted to flee and fired at the officers, leading to a chase and the use of lawful force.”
He added: “Firearms, submachine guns, vehicles, and cell phones were seized, and approximately $9,000 worth of robbery evidence (laptops, cell phones, and other equipment) was recovered. The case was handed over to the prosecutor’s office for due process.”
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