An international footballer has been sacked by his club after his wife accused him of domestic abuse and infidelity with Peruvian pop star Pamela Franco.
Christian Cueva's wife Pamela Lopez Solorzano accused the Peruvian player, 32, of 'strangling' and 'suffocating' her, telling a TV show that she 'feared for her life' and 'suffered for many years'.
The former LaLiga midfielder has denied being an 'abuser' but apologised for 'what did not happen'.
He admitted that his behaviour has been 'inexcusable' and that he has a 'complex personality' but begged to be allowed to continue to play with Club Cienciano.
'After concluding the internal investigation process, the footballer Christian Cueva has been permanently separated from the club,' the Peruvian side said in a statement.
A Peruvian footballer's wife has accused him of domestic abuse and cheating on her
Christian Cueva has been sacked by his club after Pamela Lopez Solorzano accused him of 'strangling' and 'suffocating' her
The Peru international has denied being an 'abuser' but apologised for 'inexcusable' behaviour
Lopez previously accused Cueva of cheating on her with pop star Pamela Franco Viera
'This measure has been taken in strict compliance with our values and to preserve the integrity of our institution.
Lopez has lodged a complaint with the Superior Court of Justice of Lima, requesting 'protective measures against her husband for physical and psychological violence'.
The court ordered for a panic button to be installed on her phone and Cueva is not allowed to approach her.
'There were slaps, hair pulling, pushing. The last thing was that he was suffocating me, covering my mouth and nose, strangling me by the neck. He always said insults and swears and then came back repentant,' she told America Hoy via Marca.
'I fear for my life. One of them (violent episodes) was when I discovered an infidelity; and another, days before my birthday.
'For me it was a very complicated decision, very difficult, it took me many years to make it. But I made it for myself, for my children and for all the women who suffer the same thing that I have suffered for many years.
'I have been subjected to their manipulation. I will continue to file my complaint to the very end, for myself and for my children.'
In 2018 she accused Cueva of cheating on her with Peruvian popstar Franco, revealing they had had a row about it on TV show Magaly TV La Firme, via Gale.
'I have a complex personality that goes beyond what can be seen of me,' Cueva said
Franco has 785,000 followers on Instagram while Cueva has played 100 times for his country
'I have been accused of many bad things, defects that I surely have and now I am accused of being an abuser and I do not believe I am,' Cueva wrote
A video published by Marca purports to show Cueva assaulting Lopez in a lift before a man intervenes, while one shared by AS alleges to show them fighting.
Cueva is one of the most-capped players in Peruvian history with 100 outings for the national team and has appeared at the 2018 World Cup and four Copa Americas.
On Instagram, he published a lengthy statement owning up to 'inexcusable' behaviour but denying that he is an 'abuser'.
'Violence is inexcusable and my behavior, although it was not spontaneous but in response, is also inexcusable,' he began.
'I have been accused of many bad things, defects that I surely have and now I am accused of being an abuser and I do not believe I am.
'I know that I have a complex personality that goes beyond what can be seen of me and I will take and will take responsibility for my actions, which does not mean that I stop defending myself and seeking to clarify, before the authorities, those events that have not been reported in the way they occurred or that simply did not occur.
'For all this, for what happened, what happened differently and even for what did not happen, I apologize.
'While the truth is sought and found in the appropriate authorities, I ask please to be allowed to play football, that this option not be taken away from me, because it is, along with my children, whom I love beyond what has been said, what sustains me.'