Dani Alves will continue to serve time in jail for the next four and a half years.
A Catalonia court found the former Barcelona and Brazilian football standout guilty of rape after a stinging three-day trial.
The incident occurred in a Barcelona nightclub on New Year’s Eve, 2022. The woman said Alves forced her to perform oral stimulation and have sex with him without her consent — she had tried to leave the bathroom.
“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,” issued the Superior Court of Justice of Catalonia.
Forensic tests confirmed Dani Alves’ semen in the victim’s body last February. Alves initially denied the charge and changed his story multiple times, in an attempt to refute allegations of being unfaithful to his then-wife, model Joana Sanz.
The victim’s lawyer wanted nearly a decade in jail for Alves but settled for half. In addition to prison time, Alves will also pay a $163,000 fine to the victim, amongst legal costs. “We will appeal,” said his lawyer.
Alves’ former Barcelona and Brazilian teammate Neymar allegedly helped front the costs.
Dani Alves is among the winningest footballers ever, earning 43 titles across stints at Barcelona, Juventus, and PSG. He’s widely considered the top right back of all time.
Photo: x/fabrizioromano
