Ex-Barcelona star
Dani Alves has to go to prison for over four years
Dani Alves testified in the case before a court in Barcelona.
© imago/Agencia EFE
Ex-footballer Dani Alves has to go to prison for four and a half years. The responsible court has now reached this verdict in the rape trial.
The verdict in the rape trial involving former world football star Dani Alves (40) has been passed. Like, among other things The Spanish newspaper “Marca” reports that the Brazilian former FC Barcelona player was sentenced to four years and six months in prison. It is not clear from the reports whether Alves is appealing this ruling.
The 40-year-old, who played over 250 games for FC Barcelona and appeared 126 times for the Brazilian national team, had been in custody for more than a year. Several requests to release him on bail were rejected due to the risk of absconding. The accusation that the responsible court in Barcelona now considered valid: A woman who was 23 at the time of the crime stated that she had been raped by Alves in a nightclub in 2022.
Penalty in the lower range
The trial began in Spain at the beginning of February this year. Alves also testified. He tearfully asserted that the sexual acts were consensual. As for his credibility over the course of the case according to consistent media reports was not helpful: When the allegations were first made, Alves claimed not to know the alleged victim at all. It was later said that he lied about this in order not to endanger his marriage.
The punishment for rape in Spain is reportedly between four and 15 years. With the four years and six months in prison now imposed, Alves is in the lowest range of possible prison terms. The public prosecutor’s office demanded nine years in prison and a fine of 150,000 euros, and the plaintiff’s lawyers even wanted Alves behind bars for twelve years.