Man Utd hero speaks out after former World Cup star arrested for attempted robbery

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Manchester United icon Antonio Valencia has responded to the arrest of one of his former Ecuador team-mates. Police recently apprehended Christian Lara for his alleged role in an attempted armed robbery.

Lara, 45, was part of Ecuador's squad at the 2006 World Cup, alongside United hero Valencia. He played in two matches at the tournament, coming on as a substitute against Germany in the group stage and also featuring off the bench against England in the round of 16.

The former winger, nicknamed 'Diablito', was arrested following an attempted robbery at an electronics store in Quito. Ecuadorian outlet Primicias reported that Lara was stopped by police while allegedly waiting in a vehicle without licence plates.

He was one of four people arrested and was remanded in custody. Former United star Valencia has since reacted to Lara's arrest.

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"I am very saddened by the news about Christian Lara. In the end, nobody knows what's going on with anyone," Valencia wrote on social media. "I ask God to watch over all our hearts, and that Christian (Lara) is in a better situation tomorrow."

The pair were initially club team-mates at El Nacional between 2003 and 2005, early in Valencia's career. Their bond continued on the international stage as both helped Ecuador reach the 2006 World Cup.

Lara earned 28 caps for his country and won three Ecuadorian Serie A titles across spells with El Nacional and LDU Quito. He hung up his boots in 2018 but had made brief comebacks from retirement in recent years.

Regarding the attempted robbery, Primicias relayed police reports that armed assailants stormed the shop, demanding iPhones. Police stated that two individuals inside the shop fired at officers while attempting to flee the scene.

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Following the incident, police chief Pablo Lastra said: "I can confirm we have apprehended four individuals who allegedly participated in an attempted robbery of a technology store in a neighbourhood in the Ecuadorian capital Quito called La Magdalena.

"Officers responded to an emergency call and thanks to the quick response, managed to foil the crime at the store called Tecnomega. Approximately six individuals with firearms entered the premises with the alleged aim of committing a robbery.

"As well as the four suspects, we have seized three guns, including a home-made mini-rifle. We have also recovered several firearm cartridges and a number of electronic items."

On April 7, Ecuadorian Interior Minister John Reimberg said of the attempted robbery on X: "The incident occurred in the La Magdalena sector, where the National Police responded to the robbery in progress. The armed suspects attempted to flee and fired at the officers, leading to a chase and the legitimate use of force."