FORMER Barcelona star Dani Alves has been jailed for more than four years after being found guilty of raping a woman in a Spanish nightclub.
The court ordered that Alves pay £130,000 (150,000 euros) to the victim and sentenced him to four and a half years behind bars.
“The sentence considers that it has been proven that the victim did not consent, and that there is evidence, in addition to the testimony of the plaintiff, to consider the rape proven,” the court said in a statement.
The Brazilian right-back has denied the allegations and is set to appeal the decision.
Alves previously admitted to having sex with a woman in a Barcelona nightclub in December 2022 but insisted it was consensual.
Follow our live blog below for the latest news and updates…
Alves’ wife posts selfie a few minutes after sentencing
Dani Alves’ estranged wife Joana Sanz posted a glowing selfie just minutes after the former footballer was found guilty of rape.
The Spanish model appeared unfazed in the snap she uploaded on her Instagram story – just a few minutes after the sentence of her ex-husband was announced.
Sanz, who is in Maspalomas, Gran Canaria for an advertisement shoot, according to El Español, posted a series of snaps on Instagram.
Alves reportedly asked Neymar for help
Dani Alves contacted his friend and former teammate Neymar Jr for financial and legal help, according to Brazilian media.
UOL Esporte reported earlier this year that Neymar’s father, Neymar Sr, gave Alves money to help pay a €150,000 fine to the Spanish courts for “mitigating compensation for damaged caused.”
Alves also reportedly appointed Gustavo Xisto, a long-serving legal representative for Neymar Sr’s businesses, as his lawyer in June last year.
Alves and Neymar Jr were teammates at Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and the Brazilian national team.
Credit: Reuters Who is Dani Alves?
Alves’s new life behind bars is a far cry from his career as a footballer, which included him playing as a right-back for La Liga side Barcelona.
During his time on the pitch, he won six La Liga titles, two Ligue 1 titles and the Serie A.
Alves also won the UEFA Champions League on three occasions while playing for Barcelona in 2009, 2011 and 2015.
After a successful spell in Spain, Alves moved to Juventus in 2016 on a free transfer.
He helped the Turin club to a League title, a Coppa Italia and was an important part of the side that reached the 2017 UEFA Champions League final, losing to Real Madrid.
After just one season in Italy, Alves joined French side Paris Saint-Germain, where he enjoyed further trophy success.
What has Dani Alves been found guilty of?
Dani Alves has been found guilty of raping a woman in the toilet of a Barcelona nightclub.
The Brazilian defender was accused of raping a woman in a Barcelona nightclub on December 30, 2022.
He has previously confirmed he had sex with a woman in the nightclub’s toilet but insisted it was consensual.
Alves has been held in pre-trial detention since his arrest in January 2023.
He has now been jailed for four and a half years.
How long will Dani Alves go to jail for?
Alves was sentenced to four-and-a-half years behind bars for rape.
The court also ordered Alves to pay £130K (150,000 euros) in compensation to the victim.
The ruling included a nine-and-a-half-year restraining order from the accuser.
The court said in a statement: “The sentence considers that it has been proven that the victim did not consent and that there is evidence, in addition to the testimony of the plaintiff, to consider the rape proven.”
Following the sentence, Alves was sent to Brians 2 prison in Barcelona. He had previously been held in pre-trial detention since his arrest in January 2023.
Alves can appeal his sentence.
Alves changed his testimony several times
Dani Alves changed his story several times as the evidence authorities had against him emerged.
The Brazillian footballer has been held in pre-trial detention since his arrest in January 2023, and was denied repeated bail requests by judges who said his story was inconsistent, while his victim’s version of events remained coherent.
He first denied knowing his accuser, only to later claim that they had met but nothing happened between them.
He then changed his version of events again, claiming they had consexual sex: “We were both enjoying ourselves,” he alleged.
Alves showed no remorse
Dani Alves refused to apologise to his victim in an interview with a Spanish journalist last year while he was in prison.
In an exclusive interview from his cell in Brians 2 Prison near Barcelona last June with Spanish TV and newspaper reporter Mayka Navarro, he claimed: “The only person I have to ask for forgiveness is my wife, Joana Sanz.”
Dani Alves could be released in May 2025
Dani Alves could be released as early as May 2025, despite being sentenced today to four years in prison.
This is because the ex-Barcelona star has already served one year and one month in prison.
According to Marca, this could see a judge grant the footballer an early release as soon as May next year.
‘A triumph of feminism’
The general secretary of the left-wing party Podemos has declared Dani Alves’ jailing as a “triumph of feminism.”
Ione Belarra said: “Years ago this case would have fallen into total impunity.
“Everyone knows that a rich and famous sexual offender would have gotten away completely unscathed.
“The sentence is a triumph of feminism.”
‘Anguish and terror’
The complainant told the court of the “anguish and terror” she felt after Alves’ alleged attack.
One of her friends told the court she had cried “uncontrollably” after leaving the bathroom.
The 23-year-old said Alves was both physically and verbally abusive towards her before raping her in the bathroom of a high-end Barcelona nightclub.
Dani Alves to appeal court decision
Dani Alves’ defence lawyer, Inés Guardiola, has announced to the press at Barcelona Court that they will appeal the sentence, as per Marca.
“We are going to review the sentence, but I can tell you that we are going to appeal,” the lawyer said.
“We continue to believe in the innocence of Mr. Alves. He already knows the sentence and is whole.
“We will defend his innocence to the end.”
Dani Alves’ career as former Barcelona star jailed for rape
As well as two spells at Barcelona, Dani Alves played for Seville, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and Sao Paulo during his playing career.
Considered by many the greatest full-backs of all time, he became the oldest player to represent Brazil at the World Cup in December 2022 in Qatar.
He has now been jailed for more than four years after being found guilty of rape.
Footballer’s ex claims Alves ‘stank of alcohol’
Dani Alves’ ex-wife says he “stank of alcohol and collapsed in bed” after arriving home from a night out where he allegedly raped a woman.
Model Joana Sanz told her ex-husband’s rape trial in Barcelona that Alves also rang her “drunk” from the club where he allegedly forced himself on a 23-year-old woman.
The Brazilian defender, 40, has been jailed for raping a woman in the toilet of an upmarket Barcelona nightclub on December 30, 2022.
The timeline of Dani Alves’ case
- December 30, 2022: A woman alleges she was sexually assaulted in the toilets of Sutton nightclub
- January 1, 2023: Cops in Barcelona are investigating an alleged sexual assault in a nightclub involving Dani Alves.
- January 5, 2023: Dani Alves’s alleged victim makes a formal complaint claiming she was sexually assaulted. CCTV footage shows Alves had been alone for 47 seconds in a toilet at the nightclub with his accuser
- January 20, 2023: Alves had been remanded in custody by a judge in Barcelona. He initially denies ever meeting his accuser but later confirms they had sex in the nightclub’s toilets – but insists was consensual
- January 31, 2023: His wife Joana Sanz, 29, demands divorce
- February 8, 2023: It emerges that Alves is said to be receiving ‘VIP treatment’ in prison
- March 17, 2023: Alves is going on hunger strike following split from wife
- November 14, 2023: The footballer is ordered to stand trial for the alleged assault
- November 24, 2023: Prosecutors demand nine years jail time and to pay the alleged victim £130,000, if found guilty
- February 5, 2024: Alves appears in court in Spain facing twelve years in jail
- February 6 2024: Joana Sanz testified in court about a “drunk” phone call her husband made to her after the alleged assault
- February 7 2024: Alves tells a Spanish court the encounter was consensual
- February 22 2004: Alves is jailed for more than four years after being found guilty of rape.
Victim recounts attack
Dani Alves’ accuser told the prosecution that she was forced to stay in the bathroom with the footballer after asking to leave.
She claimed he was aggressive with her, insulting and slapping her before forcing the victim to have sex with him.
During the first day of the footballer’s trial a friend and cousin of his accuser claimed he also groped them in the VIP area.
The two women claim he then invited their friend, the alleged rape victim, to follow him through a separate door after flirting with her.
What has Dani Alves been found guilty of?
Dani Alves has been found guilty of raping a woman in the toilet of a Barcelona nightclub.
The Brazilian defender was accused of raping a woman in a Barcelona nightclub on December 30, 2022.
He has previously confirmed he had sex with a woman in the nightclub’s toilet but insisted it was consensual.
Alves has been held in pre-trial detention since his arrest in January 2023.
He has now been jailed for four and a half years.
Ex-Barcelona star found guilty of rape
Ex-Barcelona star Dani Alves has been jailed for more than four years after being found guilty of raping a woman in a Spanish nightclub.
The court ordered that Alves pay £130,000 (150,000 euros) to the victim and sentenced him to four and a half years behind bars.
“The sentence considers that it has been proven that the victim did not consent, and that there is evidence, in addition to the testimony of the plaintiff, to consider the rape proven,” the court said in a statement.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
