Elche captain Josan Ferrández released without charges after domestic complaint is withdrawn
Spanish footballer Josan Ferrández has been released from custody in Alicante after his wife withdrew a domestic abuse complaint, prompting the court to provisionally dismiss the case.
Arrest at Callosa de Segura residence
Guardia Civil officers arrested Elche CF captain Josan Ferrández on the night of Tuesday, 6 October 2026, at his home in Callosa de Segura, the Alicante municipality where he resides. The intervention by law enforcement followed a domestic incident and a complaint submitted by his wife, Rosa Duarte, with whom he has two daughters. According to initial details reported by regional publications including Información and Plaza Deportiva, the filing submitted to authorities contained degrading WhatsApp messages along with photographs showing bruises that Duarte attributed to physical aggression. Ferrández, aged 36, maintained his innocence throughout the procedure and spent Tuesday night held in the cells of the local Guardia Civil barracks.
Court appearance and provisional case dismissal
On the morning of Wednesday, 7 October 2026, officers transferred the Crevillente-born footballer to the Court of Violence Against Women No. 1 at the Orihuela Court of First Instance. His detention in judicial facilities caused him to miss Elche CF's scheduled morning practice under head coach Martín Anselmi. Before the presiding judge, Duarte withdrew the complaint she had lodged hours earlier. The public prosecution service chose not to formulate accusations or oppose the player's release, leading the magistrate to issue a provisional dismissal of the proceedings. Ferrández subsequently walked out of the judicial complex without charges.
- Josan Ferrández is detained by the Guardia Civil in Callosa de Segura following a domestic abuse complaint
- Ferrández appears before the Orihuela court while Duarte withdraws the complaint
- The magistrate issues a provisional dismissal, and the couple releases a joint statement confirming no open charges
Joint statement and club response
Following the court decision on Wednesday afternoon, Ferrández and Duarte released a joint public statement addressing the reports and explaining their marital situation. The couple explained that they are currently engaged in a divorce process and expressed a shared commitment to handle the separation with mutual respect. They requested that all matters concerning their personal lives remain strictly private for the sake of their family and closest surroundings.
In relation to the information and speculation that has been generated, we wish to state that, at this time, there is no open judicial proceeding affecting Josan Ferrández.
Elche CF subsequently issued a communication to clarify the legal standing of their veteran right winger. The Spanish club confirmed that no judicial process or pending complaint for mistreatment exists against Ferrández, stating that the footballer was already at home living under normal conditions.
A decade of service at Elche CF
Ferrández is currently competing in his tenth season at the Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero after joining the Alicante club in the 2017–2018 campaign. Over the course of his ten-year stay, the veteran winger has experienced three team promotions, consisting of one ascent to the Segunda División and two promotions to the Primera División. Last summer, he signed a one-year contract extension to continue his career with the squad. In the ongoing 2026–2027 season, Ferrández has made three competitive appearances and registered one assist. His standing in the local community was marked in August 2026, when he served as the official town crier for the annual civic festivities of Elche. The legal episode follows another recent judicial case at the club involving forward Rafa Mir, who joined Elche in the previous season before later receiving an eight-year prison sentence.
