Alves sentenced to prison for sexual assault

Dani Alves has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison for sexual assault of a 23-year-old woman at a Barcelona nightclub in December 2022. The 40-year-old was arrested in January 2023 and has been in police custody since.

Spanish prosecutors had sought a nine-year sentence but the court ruled that while the victim did not consent, there was evidence beyond her testimony that rape occurred. Alves has also been banned from communicating with the victim for over nine years and must pay €150,000 in compensation.

The ex-Barcelona and Brazil defender denied the charges but changed his account over time, initially claiming no penetration occurred. He later admitted this did happen but claimed it was consensual, acknowledging he had earlier lied to protect his marriage. Five witnesses testified when the trial began in early February.

Further testimony was provided by 21 witnesses, including Alves’ wife and a friend who was with him that night. Experts also took the stand before Alves spoke at the end to answer questions only from his own lawyer.

Throughout the investigation and trial, Alves struggled to provide a consistent story. His multiple differing accounts regarding what happened that night likely impacted the court’s decision to find him guilty and hand down the prison term.