Victim Forgiveness and the Plea Deal in the Real Madrid Academy Case

Key vocabulary

• canteraf.

  youth academy; quarry

  “Los jugadores de la cantera son el futuro del club.”— Academy players are the future of the club.

  Pattern cantera del Real Madrid Real Madrid youth academy

  Compare fábrica (factory, figurative)

  Plural: canteras

  💡 Originally meant 'quarry', extended to mean 'talent pool'.

• condenaf.

  sentence; conviction

  “El juez dictó una condena de dos años.”— The judge handed down a two-year sentence.

  Pattern condena de cárcel prison sentence

  Compare sentencia (sentence)

  Plural: condenas

  💡 The verb form is 'condenar'; note the stress differs between the noun and the verb.

• absueltoadj.

  acquitted; cleared

  “El acusado fue absuelto por falta de pruebas.”— The defendant was acquitted for lack of evidence.

  Pattern quedar absuelto to be acquitted

  Compare inocente (innocent)

  Feminine: absuelta; plural: absueltos

  💡 Past participle of the verb 'absolver', irregular.

• perdonarv.

  to forgive, to pardon

  “Las víctimas han perdonado a los jugadores.”— The victims have forgiven the players.

  Pattern perdonar a alguien to forgive someone

  Compare disculpar (to forgive)

  Present: perdono, perdonas, perdona...

  💡 Noun form 'perdón', commonly used in 'pedir perdón' to ask for forgiveness.

• acusadoadj./m.

  accused; defendant

  “El acusado negó los hechos.”— The defendant denied the facts.

  Pattern estar acusado de to be accused of...

  Compare imputado (charged)

  Feminine: acusada; plural: acusados

  💡 Formed from the verb 'acusar' + past participle as an adjective.

• revelaciónf.

  revelation, disclosure

  “La revelación del secreto causó un escándalo.”— The revelation of the secret caused a scandal.

  Pattern revelación de secretos disclosure of secrets

  Compare divulgación (disclosure)

  Plural: revelaciones

  💡 From the verb 'revelar'; -ción ending is a noun suffix.

• cargom.

  charge; position

  “El único cargo fue anulado.”— The only charge was dismissed.

  Pattern cargo judicial judicial charge

  Compare acusación (accusation)

  Plural: cargos

  💡 Note the distinction from 'carga' (burden).

• Fiscalíaf.

  prosecutor's office

  “La Fiscalía ha pedido una condena severa.”— The prosecution has requested a severe sentence.

  Pattern la Fiscalía pide... the prosecution requests...

  Compare ministerio público (public prosecutor's office)

  Plural: fiscalías

  💡 From 'fiscal' (prosecutor); -ía indicates an institution.

• expedientem.

  file, record; investigation

  “El club abrió un expediente al jugador.”— The club opened a disciplinary file on the player.

  Pattern abrir un expediente to open an investigation

  Compare investigación (investigation)

  Plural: expedientes

  💡 Common phrase 'abrir un expediente' means to initiate disciplinary proceedings.

Grammar spotlight

Sentence patterns to steal

• Las víctimas han perdonado a los jugadores, por lo que el cargo ha sido anulado.

  The victims have forgiven the players, so the charge has been dropped.

  ..., por lo que + result clauseThe subject and the result clause can be replaced, e.g., 'Ha llovido, por lo que las calles están mojadas.'

• No estaba acusado de pornografía infantil, sino de revelación de secretos.

  He was not charged with child pornography, but with disclosure of secrets.

  No + verb + ..., sino + contrasting elementThe two contrasting elements can be replaced, e.g., 'No es español, sino mexicano.'

• El club ha abierto un expediente al jugador.

  The club has opened disciplinary proceedings against the player.

  abrir un expediente a + personThe verb and object can be replaced, e.g., 'cerrar un expediente'.