Courts

DISGRACED footballer Dani Alves has returned £130,000 he borrowed from Neymar’s family to get his rape sentence slashed, his lawyer revealed.The former Barcelona full-back, 40, used the money to mitigate his sentence after he was convicted for raping a woman in a nightclub toilet.Dani Alves and his lawyer Ines Guardiola arriving at the Barcelona Courts this morningCredit: SplashGuardiola revealed that Alves returned thousands of Euros borrowed from Neymar’s familyCredit: SplashNeymar and Alves had been friends for years, pictured here during their time at PSGCredit: AP:Associated PressThe Al-Hilal star and his family helped Alves with a six-figure assistanceCredit: @neymarjr/CENAlves spent just four weeks of his sentence behind bars after his rape conviction – stumping up £850,000 to be released on bail.He has now returned €150,000 (£128,000) he had borrowed from Neymar to mitigate his sentence.The footballer’s lawyer, Inés Guardiola, told Brazilian paper Folha de S. Paulo he used the amount as a “mitigation to repair the damage caused”. The money was an attempt to get Alves’ prison time cut in half, but it is not known how much the compensation influenced the sentence.Read more on Dani AlvesGuardiola added that, as his assets in Brazil were blocked, Alves asked pals to help hand over the money to court. One of the helping hands was the Al-Hilal star.”Dani Alves returned the €150,000 to Neymar a week ago,” she said on Wednesday.A helping handNeymar’s dad had previously opened up about helping Alves with a six-figure assistance, saying it was “a burden he preferred to have”.Neymar Santos Sr told CNN: “The family asked us for help. Daniel didn’t have the money to defend himself, and the deadline for paying the defense was expiring.Most read in Football”Think about it, at no time could I deny help to a friend who is trying to defend himself against an accusation.”It is understood the amount provided was around $164,000 (£131,000), EssentiallySports reports.Moment rapist Dani Alves walks FREE from prison just weeks into his 4.5-year sentence after paying €1m bailNeymar da Silva Santos Sr released an 11-word statement after refusing to pay Dani Alves’ bailCredit: AFPDani Alves leaving jail in March after serving just four weeks of his sentenceThe disgraced footballer has been coming to court every weekCredit: SplashNeymar Sr added: “Daniel is in pre-trial detention and has not been tried.”To date, the presumption of innocence is valid throughout the world. I couldn’t turn my back… What if the court decides that Daniel is innocent?”I preferred having the burden of believing in a friend than turning my back on someone.”There is still no confirmation of who paid the player’s bail to be provisionally released.But Neymar’s dad was quick to shut down claims he was all but ready to assist Alves and pay for the hefty bail price.He issued a brutal 11-word statement confirming he refused to pay the convicted rapist’s £850,000 bail.Neymar Santos Sr said in a family statement: “For us, for my family, this matter is over. Full stop.”It continued: “With the Spanish court ruling for his conviction, there’s speculation and an attempt to associate my name and my son’s to a matter that is not within our reach any longer.”Before adding that Neymar Sr hopes Alves “can find all the answers he looks for in his own family”.Beast’s ‘comeback’After being spotted arriving in court trying to go incognito, Alves is now hoping for a shocking football comeback, it has been claimed.Looking to restore his public image, he wants to eventually make a shocking comeback to the sport, El Pais reports.Spanish journalist Jesus Garcia Bueno, who has covered the case extensively, claims that he doesn’t expect to return as a player on the field itself.He was freed from prison near Barcelona in March on bail after serving a few weeks of his four-and-a-half year sentence.Alves is reportedly spending most of his time hunkering down in his £4m Spanish home with estranged wife Joana Sanz.But the former footballer did recently visit a high-end Barcelona hotel, enjoying wagyu beef steak with a friend, El Periodico reports.The pair reportedly dined on a variety of expensive dishes from the steakhouse restaurant as Alves spoke to press about his parole terms.Alves told a reporter he has to “play a game” in court during weekly appearances while on bail.He said: “It’s what I have to do. Every Friday I go to court and that’s it. I don’t have much else to do either.”The game I have to play is in the courts.”The 40-year-old also boasted about his experience in prison, saying “Wherever I go I survive”.”I adapt to everything because for me it is not the place that makes the person, but the person that makes the place,” he went on.READ MORE SUN STORIESStruggling financially since losing his income and hefty sponsorship, the shamed footballer does not expect football clubs or companies to return even if he is acquitted, El Pais reports.It is not clear exactly in what role he plans to return to the world of professional football.Alves playing for Barcelona two years ago in SpainCredit: GettyDani Alves and his on-off wife Joana Sanz pictured in 2021Credit: Getty More

DISGRACED footballer Dani Alves is hoping for a shocking football comeback after boasting about “surviving” his jail stint, it has been claimed.The former Barcelona star spent just four weeks of his sentence behind bars after a rape conviction – stumping up £850k to be released on bail.Dani Alves leaving jail in March after serving just four weeks of his sentenceAlves has to appear in court weekly as part of his bail conditions, pictured here last Friday with his lawyerAlves playing for Barcelona two years ago in SpainCredit: GettyDani Alves and his on-off wife Joana Sanz pictured in 2021Credit: GettyConvicted rapist Alves hopes to be acquitted and restore his public image, eventually making a shocking comeback to the sport, El Pais reports.Spanish journalist Jesus Garcia Bueno, who has covered the case extensively, claims that he doesn’t expect to return as a player on the field itself.He was freed from prison near Barcelona in March on bail after serving a few weeks of his four-and-a-half year sentence.Alves is reportedly spending most of his time hunkering down in his £4m Spanish home with estranged wife Joana Sanz.READ MORE ON ALVESBut the former footballer did recently visit a high-end Barcelona hotel, enjoying wagyu beef steak with a friend, El Periodico reports.The pair reportedly dined on a variety of expensive dishes from the steakhouse restaurant as Alves spoke to press about his parole terms.Alves told a reporter he has to “play a game” in court during weekly appearances while on bail.He said: “It’s what I have to do. Every Friday I go to court and that’s it. I don’t have much else to do either.Most read in Football”The game I have to play is in the courts.”The 40-year-old also boasted about his experience in prison, saying “Wherever I go I survive”.”I adapt to everything because for me it is not the place that makes the person, but the person that makes the place,” he went on.Struggling financially since losing his income and hefty sponsorship, the shamed footballer does not expect football clubs or companies to return even if he is acquitted, El Pais reports.It is not clear exactly in what role he plans to return to the world of professional football.The Brazilian had made several attempts before his conviction to get bail, but they were turned down in part because he was deemed a flight risk.Days of speculation preceded his release from jail over where the money was going to come from.Despite earning over £45million across his successful career, Alves had his bank accounts frozen when he was sat in his jail cell meaning he couldn’t fund his own release.Just hours after the disgraced star was released he hosted an all-night party at his £4.5m mansion in Esplugues de LLobregat – a 25-minute drive west of Barcelona.Days later, Spanish media reported that supermodel Sanz had already paid Alves a visit.Following reports that their marriage was over, Sanz shared a picture of the pair holding hands with matching tattoos to her Instagram last week.Alves, once a serial winner on the football pitch with 44 medals to his name, was arrested by Catalan police in January 2023 and spent over a year behind bars afterwards.He was this year convicted of raping a 23-year-old woman at a Barcelona nightclub in December 2022.The victim accused Alves of forcing her to have sex in a private bathroom of the club despite begging him to let her go.He has constantly denied the allegations and insisted the sexual encounter was consensual.The bail conditions set out by court say Alves must stay at least 1,000m away from the home of the victim or any other place she frequently goes.READ MORE SUN STORIESHe is also banned from ever contacting her and must handover his Brazilian and Spanish passports.Dani Alves rape case: What happened?BRAZILIAN international footballer Dani Alves was accused of raping a woman in a nightclub in Barcelona on December 30, 2022.
In a trial held in Barcelona in February 2024, the footballer denied the allegations and said the encounter had been consensual. 
Held at Barcelona’s Audiencia Provincial Court, the trial lasted three days and saw the victim, witnesses, and experts testify.
His accuser told the prosecution that she had willingly entered the bathroom with him, but that he forced her to stay after she wanted to leave.
In court she claimed that he was aggressive with her, slapping her and insulting her, and then forced her to have sex with him.
Following the trial, Alves was found guilty of raping the woman.
He was convicted on February 22 and sentenced to four and a half years in prison.
The court also ordered Alves to pay £130K (150,000 euros) in compensation to the victim.
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.”
He had previously been held in pre-trial detention since his arrest on January 20, 2023.
Alves’ lawyers immediately appealed his sentence.
On March 20, 2024 – a Barcelona court released Alves on a bail of €1million (£850k) pending an appeal on his conviction.
His defense is seeking his acquittal while the prosecutor wants his prison sentence increased to nine years.
There is no date yet for the new trial at a higher court in Barcelona. It can then go to the Supreme Court in Madrid.

The luxurious mansion in Esplugues where Alves is living with wife Joana SanzCredit: Instagram/danialvesAlves is keeping a low profile in his £4m Spanish boltholeCredit: InstagramJoanna Sanz shared this picture of her and estranged husband Dani Alves – with matching tattoos More