<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Manchester United winger Antony was dropped from Brazil's squad for upcoming World Cup qualifying games on Monday following allegations of assault made against him by an ex-girlfriend.</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said in a statement that Antony had been stood down in order to "preserve the alleged victim, the player, the Brazil team and the CBF."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Arsenal forward Gabriel Jesus will replace Antony in the squad for the games against Bolivia on September 8 and Peru on September 12.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Antony, 23, on Monday denied physically assaulting ex-girlfriend Gabriela Cavallin in a statement on Instagram, stating he was the "victim of false accusations."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"I can calmly affirm that the accusations are false, and that evidence already produced and that will be produced will show that I am innocent," Antony said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The denial came after Brazilian press reports published WhatsApp messages reputedly between Antony and Cavallin in which the player allegedly threatens his ex-partner.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In one of the conversations cited by local media, Cavallin says he must apologize for "kicks and assaults."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Antony then appears to reply "sorry" in response.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Cavallin is also shown in one photo with an apparent head wound.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Antony said in his Instagram post that his relationship with Cavallin was "tumultuous, with verbal abuse on both sides."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">However he denied assaulting her. "I never practiced physical aggression," he said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"At each moment, she presents a different version of the accusations," Antony added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"I am confident that the ongoing police investigations will prove the truth," he concluded. AFP</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>