Manuel Brinas, the founder of Atletico's academy, admits abusing a minor Atletico Madrid When he worked in a school in the 1970s

The man who founded the Atletico Madrid football school and who worked at the academy for several years, Manuel Brinas, has admitted that he sexually abused a child when he was a friar at the Hermanos Amoros School in Carabanchel.

The victim, Miguel M. H., has claimed that the incidents took place between 1973 and 1975.

Brinas confessed to the abuse in an interview with El Pais.

"These were things that happened then, a little strange," he said.

"Frankly, I never explained it to myself.

"It was an accident.

"The woman I was going to marry had recently died.

"It was only once or twice.

"Thankfully, I immediately stopped it.

"It's a thorn I have always carried in my soul."

This, however, doesn't fully add up with the victim's testimony, with the victim alleging that the abuse consisted of stroking, masturbation and, on one occasion, fellatio.

"The abuse lasted three years," Miguel M. H. said, also speaking to El Pais.

"I never told my God-fearing parents.

"Although there were many of us, he would always go for me.

"I was paralysed the first time, not understanding what was happening.

"Then my objective became to find the furthest spot away to sleep."

Miguel M. H. explained that it stopped when he confronted Brinas, one time hitting him back and another time telling him to go away.

The victim revealed that he called Brinas around one year ago to try understand it.

"He thought it had all happened in a short space of time, the death of his girlfriend, becoming a friar and the abuse," the victim stated.

"But the truth is that he had already been a friar for a few years when he started to abuse me and there were another three years in which he didn't stop attacking me."

Miguel M. H. went on to say he forgives Brinas.

"It's important that abuse like this is revealed," he said.

"It's important for things that have happened over decades to be known.

"But it's also important for me to forgive, for him and for me."