July 31, (THEWILL) – Brazilian defender, Dani Alves, renowned for his illustrious career with Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, is set to stand trial on sexual assault charges in Spain, as confirmed by the High Court of Catalonia.
The 40-year-old football star was detained in January after being accused of raping a young woman inside a nightclub restroom in late December. While a specific trial date has not been scheduled yet, Alves has remained in custody without bail due to concerns that he might attempt to evade justice.
In a television interview conducted before his arrest, Alves initially denied any knowledge of the woman involved in the case. However, when questioned by investigators after his detention, he altered his stance, asserting that their encounter had been consensual. Despite facing the possibility of a 12-year prison sentence if found guilty, Alves vehemently defended his innocence in a candid interview published in June.
He insisted: “I have a really clear conscience regarding what happened that night in the bathroom of the VIP area of the Sutton nightclub. What happened and what didn’t happen. And what didn’t happen is that I forced this woman to do anything that we did.”
Alves’ legal predicament arose while he was on holiday in Barcelona after representing Brazil at the World Cup in Qatar. In the aftermath of his arrest, the Brazilian football icon faced professional consequences, as his Mexican club, Pumas UNAM, promptly terminated his contract. Despite his remarkable career achievements, which include 42 football titles, with three Champions Leagues at Barcelona and two Copa Americas with Brazil, the trial casts a shadow over his reputation and any future prospects in the sport.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
