An Italian court sentenced former Brazil and AC Milan forward Robinho in absentia to nine years in prison on Thursday after convicting him of taking part in a gang rape of an Albanian woman in 2013. A Milan court ruled that Robinho and five other Brazilians assaulted the woman, who was 22 at the time, after plying her with alcohol in a discotheque. The whereabouts of Robinho's five companions is not known, so their trial has been put on hold.

This file photo taken on September 28, 2013 shows AC Milan's Brazilian forward Robinho during the Italian Seria A football match AC Milan vs Sampdoria, on Septembre 28, 2013, in San Siro stadium in Milan. A Milan court on November 23, 2017 sentenced former AC Milan and Brazil forward Robinho aka Robson de Souza Santos to nine years in jail for gang raping a 22-year-old Albanian woman in a Milan disco on January 22, 2013. Robinho, who is now playing for Brazil team Atletico Mineiro, was found guilty of committing the rape with five other people. Pic/AFP