Four thieves broke into the house of former Manchester City star, Martin Demichelis while his wife and kids were asleep and made away with some cash and jewellery despite his best attempt to stop them.
According to journalist Cinthia Fernandez, who broke the shocking news on the ‘Los Angeles De La Manana’ programme broadcast by Argentine channel El Trece (Channel 13), the Argentine went nose-to-nose with the burglars after they broke into his house in the Spanish city of Marbella.
Fernandez explained how the 2014 Premier League title winner confronted the thieves as his actress partner Evangelina Anderson and their three children – Lola, Emma and Martin – were in bed.
She said: “They were sleeping when Martin woke up by chance, he went downstairs and bumped into four hooded people. He intercepted them, there were shouts and the criminals were reportedly scared and left.”
Reports state the thieves managed to get away with some cash and jewellery from the former Argentinian international’s luxury pad.
Fernandez added: “I spoke to Evangelina and luckily they are all okay but the children were very scared. They moved there recently.”
She confirmed the police had launched an investigation, adding: “It’s very strange because it very rarely happens. They got in through the window. The police told them that thieves enter houses to rob them in remarkable cases.”
Demichelis, who also holds an Italian passport, and Anderson tied the knot in July 2015 in Buenos Aires. Martin was the first of their children to enter the world when he was born in Munich on May 3 2009.
Demichelis, a World Cup runner-up in 2014, retired from playing two years after stints in Spain at Espanyol and Malaga.
He made 104 appearances during his three seasons at Man City and also helped them to two League Cups as well as the Prem title.
On 1 September 2013, Demichelis joined former Málaga boss Pellegrini and signed with Manchester City, penning a two-year contract for a reported £4.2 million. He had been with Atlético for less than two months, and had yet to make an appearance.
Demichelis made his first appearance for his new club on 27 October 2013, starting in a 1–2 Premier League loss at Chelsea after recovering from a knee injury. On 18 February of the following year, he was sent off against FC Barcelona in the club’s Champions League round-of-16 0–2 home defeat, after fouling Lionel Messi and giving away a penalty.
Despite Demichelis’s rocky start at City, Pellegrini kept faith in him. On 15 March 2014, after club captain Vincent Kompany was sent off, he was instrumental in a 2–0 victory over Hull City. The following weekend he scored his first goal, contributing to a 5–0 home win over Fulham; his good run of form in the last two months of the season helped his team win the league title, and also helped him rejoin the national side.
On 12 March 2015, Demichelis renewed his expiring contract until June of the following year. A year later, he was charged by The Football Association for 12 breaches of their rules against gambling on matches, and accepted the charge; he was fined £22,058 for the breach. On 10 June 2016, Demichelis was released.
On 10 August 2016, at nearly 36, Demichelis signed a one-year contract with Spanish club RCD Espanyol. On 10 January 2017, however, after only two appearances, he was released.
Demichelis returned to the La Rosaleda Stadium on 17 January 2017, agreeing to a five-month deal. On 15 May, he announced his retirement.
Demichelis made his debut for Argentina in 2005. Also in that year he was selected by national team manager José Pekerman for the FIFA Confederations Cup, but did not leave the bench during the tournament.
On 11 September 2007, Demichelis scored his first international goal, in a friendly match against Australia, his header being the game’s only goal. On 3 March 2010 he suffered a facial injury during an exhibition game with Germany, being sidelined for three weeks[30] but was nonetheless summoned for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
Under Diego Maradona, Demichelis played in all of Argentina’s games at the World Cup in South Africa, partnering Nicolás Burdisso in central defense in an eventual quarter-final exit. On 22 June 2010, he scored the first goal in the 2–0 group stage win against Greece.
Demichelis lost his place in the national side in November 2011, after a World Cup qualifier against Bolivia. A two-and-a-half-year absence followed, until he was included in Alejandro Sabella’s provisional 30-man squad for the 2014 World Cup.
He ending up made the final list. On the bench for the team’s first four games, Demichelis made his debut in the tournament in the 1–0 quarter-final win over Belgium in which he played the full 90 minutes, taking the place of Frederico Fernandez. He went on to start in the semi-finals where his team eliminated the Netherlands in a penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw, and again in the final against Germany and picked up the runners-up medal as Argentina lost 1–0 after extra time.