Prem ace Nelson is sued for dog attack
Arsenal star Reiss facing massage therapist claim
ARSENAL ace Reiss Nelson is being sued by a therapist who claims a guard dog bit him at the footballer’s luxury home.
Saeid Motaali, 50, alleges the Italian mastiff, named Tiago, bit him on the arm after a sports massage session with the Gunners winger.
He has brought a High
Court claim against 24-year-old Londoner Nelson, who came through the Arsenal academy.
This civil case comes while a criminal case relating to the same alleged incident is ongoing. Last year
Nelson’s trial on a charge of owning an animal dangerously out of control was delayed to August.
Mr Motaali says the powerful dog leapt at his neck and bit him hard on the arm when he put it up to
protect himself in 2020. He says he has been unable to work for more than three years following the incident at Nelson’s £3million home.
He says the attack happened in the kitchen in North London, when he asked to take pictures.
His legal team said in a statement: “He took a photograph of Nelson and the dog.
“He was in the process
of taking a ‘selfie’ type picture of the dog when, as he started to turn away, the dog jumped up at him towards his neck.”
Nelson, who signed a four-year deal with the Gunners last summer, is accused of negligence and being responsible for the attack in the civil claim. Mr Motaali’s legal claim adds: “The dog was being trained as a guard dog and hence had been trained to show aggression.
“The dog was a large powerful animal with sharp teeth and was ever likely to cause severe damage when biting.”
Mr Motaali says Nelson took hold of the dog after the bite, while he himself escaped into the bathroom.
The player’s defence has not been made public. His legal team were contacted for comment.
The dog was a large animal with sharp teeth
SAEID MOTAALI LEGAL CLAIM FROM THERAPIST