Barca legend Dani Alves sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison

• Former Barcelona player Dani Alves has been sentenced to four years, six months in prison after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman
• The footballer maintained the sex was consensual, and his lawyers told reporters outside the courthouse that he intends to appeal the sentence

Former Brazilian footballer Dani Alves has been sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison after being found guilty of raping a woman.

The 40-year-old, who is best known for his time with La Liga giants FC Barcelona, was first arrested in January 2023 after he was accused of sexually assaulting a woman in the early hours of 31 December 2022. He has been in remand all along because the court considered him flight risk and denied his requests for bail.

Dani Alves. Photo/ France 24.

“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.” Catalonia’s top court said, as per ESPN.

Alves’ sentence also includes a five-year probation upon release and a nine and a half year restraining order. He must also pay his victim 150,000 euros (£128,000) in compensation.

The footballer maintained the sex was consensual, and his lawyers told reporters outside the courthouse that he intends to appeal the sentence.

In Spain, a claim of rape is investigated under the general accusation of sexual assault and convictions can lead to prison sentences of four to 15 years. Alves’ lawyers had put forward an argument that the Barca legend should be given a more lenient sentence because he was drunk when on New Year’s eve when the alleged incident occurred. However, the court argued that his alcohol consumption did not affect his behaviour hence being guilty.

State prosecutors, who wanted Dani Alves to be sentenced to nine years in prison, told the court that the footballer and his friend had bought champagne for three young women before he lured one of them to a VIP area of the nightclub that had a toilet and raped her.

It was at the toilet where Alves forced the woman to have sex with him and even turned violent. The 23-year-old woman, who accused the renowned footballer of causing her “anguish and terror” through the rape, tried to leave but Alves didn’t let her go until he was done.

One of the woman’s friends who was with her on the night of rape said that she cried “uncontrollably” after coming out of the toilet. On the contrary, Alves’ friend said he hadn’t noticed anything wrong with the woman after she returned from the toilet and that the two had danced together and showed “chemistry” before going into the toilet.

What Did Dani Alves Say In Court?

Since his arrest back in January 2023, Dani Alves has changed his testimony several times. He first denied knowing the woman he allegedly raped and then claimed that he had met her in the toilet but nothing happened between the two of them. He then admitted to sexual relations saying that it was consensual after being confronted with biological evidence. He said that the woman even performed oral sex on him.

Dani Alves in court. Photo/ beIN SPORTS.

“We were both enjoying ourselves,” Alves  told the court while insisting that the woman never asked to leave while they were in the toilet. He also denied assaulting her saying he didn’t slap her.

Alves said that he denied having met the woman before because he was hiding his infidelity to his wife Joana Sanz, 31. Sanz said in court that Alves had appeared very drunk when he returned home that night and even bumped into furniture on his way to bed.

At the time of his arrest, the Brazilian was with Mexican club Pumas, who terminated his contract immediately. Alves has had a successful career playing for top clubs such as Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. Prior to his arrest, he had represented Brazil at the World Cup, the only trophy he has not won.