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      What are the accusations against Dani Alves?

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      DANI Alves is one of the most decorated footballers of all time, having won a number of Europe’s top leagues and lifting the Champions League trophy three times.The former Barcelona defender has been accused of sexual assault and is understood to be denying any wrongdoing — but what are the accusations against him and will he stand trial?
      Alves was sacked by Mexican side UNAM Pumas following his arrestCredit: Getty
      What has Dani Alves been accused of?
      Dani Alves has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a Barcelona nightclub on December 30, 2022.
      At first he claimed to have never met the woman in question, before backtracking at a later date and saying the pair had consensual sex, according to reports.
      It was also initially reported he had put his hands down a woman’s underwear in the club’s VIP area’s toilets, but it later emerged the 23-year-old was alleging she had been the victim of rape.
      The fact Alves changed his story was reportedly key to the decision to remand him in custody.
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      It came after CCTV footage published by Spanish media was said to show him and the alleged victim in a VIP area and then going to the toilet for 47 seconds.
      The accuser said that after the alleged attack she was too scared to leave the toilet for several minutes, and when she finally opened the door the footballer and his companions had left the venue.
      Alves, a father of two, was sacked by Mexican side UNAM Pumas following his arrest at the start of 2023.
      What has Dani Alves said about the accusations?
      In a Spanish TV interview following the confirmation of a formal investigation being opened, Alves said: “I don’t know who this lady is.
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      “I don’t know her name, I don’t know her, I’ve never seen her in my life.”
      In June 2023, during an interview from his prison cell with Spanish reporter Mayka Navarro, Alves also said: “The only person I have to ask for forgiveness is my wife, Joana Sanz.
      “I have already done that here in prison, but I have to do it publicly, because the story is public, the offence I caused her is public and she deserves that public apology.”
      Alves continued: “I entered the nightclub bathroom after her.
      “I didn’t even lock the door. The door was open all the time. She could have left at any time because I spent virtually all my time in there sat on the toilet seat.”
      Will Dani Alves stand trial?
      Alves will stand trial for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in a nightclub in late 2022.
      Three judges at Barcelona’s Provincial Court announced their decision in an eight-page legal ruling made public on November 14, 2023.
      The document read: “We consider there is sufficient prima facie evidence at this stage to agree the opening of the trial in the terms requested by state prosecutors and the prosecutor acting privately for the alleged victim.
      “The statements the alleged victim has made and witness evidence and expert reports that form part of these proceedings can be considered as sufficient in that regard, without prejudice to the final verdict.”
      Alves’ lawyer is expected to insist his client should be acquitted of any wrongdoing.
      A date for the trial hasn’t been set yet, but it is likely to take place at the start of next year.
      According to reports in Spanish outlets, Alves could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
      Where is Dani Alves now?
      Alves is currently incarcerated.
      Read More on The Sun
      He is being detained at the Brians 2 prison in Catalonia, Spain.
      Alves was held at the Brians 1 Penitentiary Centre initially, but was transferred to Brians 2 three days after his arrest. More

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      Brazil star Dani Alves ordered to stand trial accused of sexually assaulting woman in Barcelona nightclub toilet

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      FORMER Barcelona footballer Dani Alves will stand trial for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in a nightclub late last year.The 40-year-old Brazil international has been kept in preventative custody since he was arrested on January 20.
      Dani Alves was arrested in Barcelona on January 20
      Alves of FC Barcelona runs with the ball during a match between FC Barcelona and CA Osasuna at Camp Nou in March 2022Credit: Getty
      The Sutton Nightclub in Barcelona where Alves has been accused of sexually assaulting a womanCredit: TripAdvisor
      Dani Alves and his wife Joana SanzCredit: Instagram @joanasanz
      Three judges at Barcelona’s Provincial Court announced their decision in an eight-page legal ruling made public today.
      The document read: “We consider there is sufficient prima facie evidence at this stage to agree the opening of the trial in the terms requested by state prosecutors and the prosecutor acting privately for the alleged victim.
      “The statements the alleged victim has made and witness evidence and expert reports that form part of these proceedings can be considered as sufficient in that regard, without prejudice to the final verdict.”
      State prosecutors and Alves’ lawyer will now have five working days to present their indictments outlining the prison sentence, fines, and compensation orders they are seeking if the footballer is found guilty.
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      Alves’ lawyer is expected to insist his client should be acquitted of any wrongdoing.
      A date for the trial is yet to be set, though it will likely take place in the first part of next year.
      The footballer could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted, according to Spanish reports.
      Alves was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a Barcelona nightclub on December 30 last year.
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      A judge ordered he be jailed without bail after hearing testimonies from Alves, the alleged victim, and witnesses.
      It was initially reported he had put his hands down a woman’s underwear in the nightclub’s VIP area toilets, but it later emerged the 23-year-old was alleging she had been raped.
      Alves, a dad of two, was sacked by Mexican side UNAM Pumas following his arrest at the start of the year.
      He claimed to have never met the woman in question, then later backtracked and said the pair had in fact had consensual sex.
      His lawyer reportedly said his initial story came about as Alves did not want his wife, Spanish model Joana Sanz, to find out about his infidelity.
      In an interview from his prison cell with Spanish TV and newspaper reporter Mayka Navarro, Alves said: “The only person I have to ask for forgiveness is my wife, Joana Sanz.
      “I have already done that here in prison, but I have to do it publicly, because the story is public, the offence I caused her is public and she deserves that public apology.”
      Alves, who is set to remain in prison until his trial, continued: “I entered the nightclub bathroom after her [the alleged victim].
      “I didn’t even lock the door. The door was open all the time. She could have left at any time because I spent virtually all my time in there sat on the toilet seat.”
      He accused the alleged victim of being “badly advised”, adding: “I can only think that she felt bad after having sex, that she took a decision and that she has not been capable of getting herself out of the mess she’s got into and has got me into.
      “I appeal to her conscience. There hasn’t been a single night that I haven’t slept well. Not a single night. My conscience is clear.
      “I’ve never voluntarily hurt anyone. And I didn’t hurt her that night either.
      “I don’t know if her conscience is clear and if she sleeps well at night. But I forgive her.”
      Read More on The Sun
      Alves is widely considered one of the greatest full-backs of all time and has played for Seville, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and Sao Paulo, as well as Barcelona.
      He became the oldest player to represent Brazil at the World Cup last December in Qatar. More

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      Man arrested over depraved killing of Brighton footballer Jorelyn Carabali’s brother

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      A MAN has been nicked over the murder of Brighton women’s footballer Jorelyn Carabali’s brother.The suspect has been remanded in custody pending an ongoing criminal probe by an investigating judge.
      A man has been nicked over the murder of Brighton women’s footballer Jorelyn Carabali’s brotherCredit: Alamy
      Luis Ocampo — also known as Pipe Pollo — was held in the Colombian city of Cali.
      Jorelyn, 26, whose team won 1-0 at Manchester City in the Women’s Super League at the weekend, posted a Bible verse on her Instagram as news of the arrest broke.
       It said: “Have faith and smile, because God loves you.”
      Cali prosecution chief Sandra Eugenia Gonzalez Mina said yesterday: “The suspected killer of the brother of our Colombian international footballer Jorelyn Carabali has been detained and sent to prison pending a formal ongoing investigation.”
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      She added: “Thanks to the work of police and prosecutors the identity of the man who allegedly assassinated Jorelyn’s brother has been established.
      “The victim was shot six times, four in the face.
      “The evidence gathered so far points to the alleged aggressor having a row in the disco that night with the victim as well as a year ago and leaving the nightclub to get a firearm before returning and shooting him.”
      Jorelyn lost another brother, Juan, 15, in 2017. He was shot while at a football match.
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      Who is Oliver Finney and what has he been charged with?

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      A PROFESSIONAL footballer has been accused of raping a woman. OLIVER Finney, 25, will face court over the charge – here we look at the footballer’s life, career, and what he has been accused of.
      Oliver Finney scored the winning goal for Hartlepool United against Swindon Town in April 2023Credit: Alamy
      Who is Oliver Finney?
      Oliver Vincent Finney was born on December 15, 1997.
      Finney is from Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire.
      He is a professional footballer who plays in midfield.
      Finney began his footballing career at Crewe Alexandra, which was formed in 1877 as an offshoot of Crewe Alexandra Cricket Club, where he graduated from the team’s academy.
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      To gain first team experience he completed periods on loan at non-league sides Nantwich Town during the 2016/17 season, and Halesowen Town on a two-month loan deal during the 2017/18 season.
      The midfielder returned to Crewe in 2017, signing a further one-year contract in 2018.
      He made 124 appearances for the Cheshire club and scored 17 goals.
      Finney signed for Hartlepool on transfer deadline day in January 2023 on a permanent contract.
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      Who did Oliver Finney play for?
      Finney played for Hartlepool United FC before being suspended in October 2023.
      He had made 20 appearances for the club and scored two goals for the team, which was relegated to the National League at the end of last season.
      On joining the Pools, Finney said: “I’m buzzing to be here. There’s a lot of work to do, but there’s no reason that this squad can’t kick on.
      “The quality here is plain to see.”
      What has Oliver Finney been charged with?
      Finney has been charged with one count of rape, according to the Cheshire Constabulary.
      The midfielder allegedly attacked a woman in 2022 while playing for Crewe Alexandria in League Two.
      Finney has been suspended by Hartlepool while the case is ongoing.
      The club released a statement on October 27, 2023 reading: “Hartlepool United have been made aware of a police investigation surrounding a first-team player which has been reported in the press today.
      “The allegation dates back to before the player joined Hartlepool United.
      “Upon being informed of the allegation and investigation for the first time the Club immediately placed the player on suspension pending the investigation outcome.
      “The matter is subject to an official process and therefore no further comment will made at this time.”
      Read More on The Sun
      Cheshire Constabulary said: “A man from Hartlepool has been summonsed to court following an investigation into a rape.
      “Oliver Finney, 25, is set to be appear at Crewe Magistrates’ Court on Monday 13th November charged with one count of rape.” More

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      Marcus Rashford’s agent brother arrested on suspicion of attacking girlfriend after finding phone messages from Prem ace

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      MARCUS Rashford’s agent brother was arrested on suspicion of attacking his girlfriend after discovering messages on her phone from a Premier League ace.Dane Rashford, 31, was held in Miami while holidaying in the US with partner Andrea Pocrnja.
      A source told The Sun that Manchester United and England forward Marcus, 26, was devastated by his brother’s arrestCredit: AP
      Dane, who has a £1.2million mansion in Wilmslow, Cheshire, spent two nights in Miami Dade county jail in a shared holding cell before his sister, Chantelle, paid a $1,500 bond
      Pals say the couple, who have a 14-month-old daughter, had been experiencing relationship problems.
      Dane, who has a £1.2million mansion in Wilmslow, Cheshire, spent two nights in Miami Dade county jail in a shared holding cell before his sister, Chantelle, paid a $1,500 bond.
      He has pleaded not guilty to battery and is due in court on November 27.
      Staff at the £200-a-night four-star Kimpton Angler’s Hotel called police when Andrea walked through reception with a bloodied nose after a night out.
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      According to the police report, Dane said he “went through the victim’s phone and found text messages from another male”.
      It added Andrea claimed he had hit her twice in the face “with a closed fist” in an Uber on the way back to the hotel at 3.30am.
      Her partner said he pushed her.
      The report alleges there was another bust-up in their room when Andrea was trying to get the wifi password so that she could disable her phone.
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      A source told The Sun that Manchester United and England forward Marcus, 26, was devastated by the October 20 arrest.
      They added: “Marcus has been having a tough time on the pitch and things in his personal life have contributed.
      “He’s split up with his fiancé Lucia — and now this.” More

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      I was earning £10,000-a-week in Premier League and could have been Erling Haaland – now I’m unemployed after jail time

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      NILE RANGER once pocketed £10,000-a-week and says he could have been as good as Erling Haaland – now he is unemployed after stints in jail.Although the 32-year-old, who says he has matured since becoming a father two years ago, still believes he can do the business on the pitch and wants to use his experiences to help future stars.
      Nile Ranger is now unemployed after a stint in jail and a brief spell playing non-leagueCredit: Alamy
      The striker was earning £10k-a-week at Newcastle UnitedCredit: Action Images – Reuters
      The former England U19 international, who was put in prison in 2017 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to defraud, initially burst onto the scene at Newcastle United.
      That was after he had spent 11 weeks in a young offenders institute for his part in an armed robbery while at Southampton’s academy.
      He has also been involved in a number of other controversies away from the field as well as playing in the top five divisions of English football.
      He caused outrage in 2011 while still at the Magpies after posing with a gun and was later fined £6,000 by the FA in 2012 for making a string of homophobic comments on Twitter.
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      Fans also slammed him for posting a picture of his name spelt out in £20 notes that very same year.
      Ranger was then convicted of assaulting two police officers in October 2012 and was given a conditional discharge then in 2014 he was cleared of raping a woman in the Carlton Hotel in the city after a week-long trial.
      He got himself in trouble at Swindon Town after kicking down the door to his own flat, where he denied a charge of criminal damage but did get fined and made to pay court costs.
      While all of these incidents were going on away from the pitch, Ranger, who has also battled a gambling addiction, was making his way down the divisions.
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      After four years at Newcastle, which included loan spells at Barnsley and Sheffield Wednesday, he left on a free transfer in 2013 just two years into a five-year £10,000-a-week deal.
      A year at Swindon was followed by a two-year stint at Blackpool before a move to Southend United in 2016.
      That ended in 2018, and since then, he has featured in one game for Spalding United in the Northern Premier League Division One South East in the eighth tier, a brief 12 minute return for Southend in League Two and then one-season spell at Boreham Wood in the National League.
      Speaking to The Athletic, Ranger said: “There needs to be a movie on my life because it’s a real one, it’s an interesting one.”
      The 6ft 2in forward, who has a number of eye-catching tattoos, has been without a team since his departure from Boreham Wood nearly a year-and-a-half ago.
      He says: “I have players coming to me saying, ‘What happened? What’s wrong with you? With your talent, what are you doing?’.
      “I made my bed and now I have to lie in it. I feel frustrated. I know what I can do but it’s deeper than that because I’ve had so many chances.
      “I didn’t take in the advice. I should be minimum Championship right now. I shouldn’t be having problems but I didn’t listen.
      “If I added nutrition to my game and behaviour, I’m Haaland. But I didn’t want to listen. I thought I knew it all.
      “People can learn from me. I played in every league — I’ve been at the highest level, I’ve been there, I can help the kids. It’s not the end of me. I love football, there’s still opportunity but there’s more to life than just football.”
      However, despite all of the controversies, he still insists that he is desperate for one more shot.
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      Ranger added: “I know I’m very good at football, people can play to 38 or 39. I can still play. I want to get back then I can climb.
      “I’ve got to go and show what I can do or I’m going to get to an age where I can’t move. It catches up with you.”
      If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please call the Samaritans for free on 116123. More

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      Football agent Dane Rashford arrested on domestic violence charge in US

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      FOOTBALL agent Dane Rashford has been arrested on domestic violence charges in the US. The director of DN May Sports Management was cuffed on October 20 in Miami Beach, Florida after being charged with the misdemeanour of battery.
      Dane Rashford appeared in court in Miami last monthCredit: Miami-Dade Police Department
      As reported by Telegraph Sport, the 31-year-old appeared in court on October 21 where his bond was set at £1,224.
      He has pleaded not guilty and will face a further hearing on November, 27.
      Dane is not being held in custody while he awaits his pre-trial hearing but has been slapped with a “stay away order” which prevents him making contact.
      Florida court documents stated Dane, brother of Man United star, Marcus Rashford, had his bond paid by sister Chantelle Maynard a week after his arrest.

      Dane declined to comment to Telegraph Sport, along with Manchester United.
      Speaking to Telegraph Sport, Daysi Vega-Mendez, assistant state prosecutor for Miami Dade County said: “The case is still active, at the moment I haven’t been able to get hold of the victim.
      “At the moment the case is still active and listed for an arraignment hearing on Nov 27.”
      DN May Sports Management lists Marcus Rashford, as a client, but the player is directly managed by his other sibling, Dwaine Maynard.
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      Inside Benjamin Mendy’s £5m mansion as he is forced to slash price as it languishes on the market

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      BENJAMIN Mendy has slashed a whopping £750,000 off the asking price of his £5million mansion as he battles bankruptcy following his rape trial. The former Manchester City footballer, 29, must sell the sprawling Cheshire property to avoid financial ruin. 
      Benjamin Mendy’s mansion has now been put up for saleCredit: Savills
      The ex-City defender now plays for Lorient in FranceCredit: Getty
      As he chases up to £10m of back pay from his old club and while rebuilding his career at French Ligue 1 club Lorient, Mendy has now reduced the asking price to £4.25million.
      It comes as HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is seeking a bankruptcy order against the footballer over a nearly £800,000 tax debt. 
      The house is described by estate agents as “one of the finest contemporary homes in Cheshire”. 
      The 11,000sq-ft residence is set in over 1.75 acres of grounds and boasts six bedroom suites, an open plan living area, games room, home cinema, swimming pool, steam room, gym and spa. 
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      It was bought by Mendy from cricketing legend Andrew Flintoff in 2018 for £4.8million. 
      Flintoff, who never lived at the house, bought it for £1.8million in 2008 and spent two years rebuilding the property – before renting it out. 
      His tenants included former footballer Peter Crouch and wife Abbey Clancy. 
      The former Man City star was already a millionaire when he joined from Monaco in 2017 on a six-year contract.
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      His deal guaranteed him a basic £100,000-a-week salary and up to £170,000 with bonuses.
      But instead of pocketing £31.2million, he ended up fighting bankruptcy after his 2020 arrest for rape.
      He was cleared of raping a woman following a retrial in July.
      Jurors unanimously cleared him of both charges after three hours of deliberation.
      But despite going free, he was forced to close his image rights company after being chased for unpaid tax.
      The footballer took a huge financial hit after being charged in 2021, with City stopping his salary the following month.
      The sprawling property boasts a luxurious interiorCredit: Savills
      Peter Crouch was a former tenant at the mansionCredit: Savills
      The property is worth millionsCredit: Savills
      There is even a home cinema at the swanky padCredit: Savills More