Dani Alves sentenced to four and a half years in prison

A Spanish court has delivered a verdict, finding former Barcelona star Dani Alves guilty of raping a woman in a Barcelona nightclub.

The 40-year-old, widely recognized as one of the most decorated footballers in history, has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison.

The incident took place in the early hours of December 31, 2022, and Alves had consistently denied the charges.

The court’s decision comes after a trial where Alves’ defence argued for his acquittal, emphasising that the encounter was consensual and that the woman could have left “if she wanted to.” However, the court concluded that the woman did not give her consent and found evidence supporting her testimony.

According to the court statement, there were elements beyond the victim’s account that substantiated the rape allegations. Alves has the option to appeal the verdict, and his lawyer may pursue this legal avenue.

Alves, a father of two, has been held in remand at Brians 2 Prison near Barcelona since his arrest in January last year.

This marks a significant fall from grace for the former football star, who enjoyed a successful career with Barcelona, PSG, and Juventus, accumulating an impressive 41 trophie.

During the trial, Alves admitted to engaging in sexual activity with the 23-year-old woman in a VIP section toilet at the upscale nightclub Sutton on December 30, 2022, but maintained that it was consensual.

The victim, testifying behind a screen, affirmed that Alves had forced himself on her. State prosecutors had initially sought a nine-year prison sentence, while a private prosecutor acting for the victim demanded a 12-year jail term.

As Dani Alves faces the reality of his first night behind bars as a convicted sex offender, this verdict casts a shadow over the once highly regarded footballer’s legacy.