Dani Alves has been in prison for more than a year since being accused of forcing a woman to have sex with him. Image: REUTERS
The rape trial of football player Dani Alves has begun – Spain.
Dani Alves, a former football player for Barcelona and Brazil, is on trial in Spain on charges of sexually assaulting a woman in a nightclub.
Since the alleged incident in December 2022, the 40-year-old has been detained without being granted bail and has remained in prison for more than a year.
If Mr. Alves is found guilty, he may spend 12 years in prison. He later claimed they had had consensual intercourse, but at first he denied ever having met his accuser. On Wednesday, his trial comes to a close.
Witnesses set to testify include Dani Alves and his estranged wife, among almost thirty others.
He said he had been the victim of a media trial, but the Barcelona court rejected his request to pause the trial so he could have more time to prepare on Monday.
On the first day of the trial, Mr. Alves’s accuser testified, speaking behind a screen to conceal her identity.
She claims he coerced her into having sex with him after luring her into a bathroom in the VIP area of a Barcelona nightclub.
On Monday, the woman’s friend and cousin, who were both present the night of the alleged assault, also gave testimony.
They claimed that earlier in the evening, Mr. Alves had made advances towards them and flirted. They added that the woman had originally been reluctant to file a complaint because she thought no one would take her seriously.
In Spain, charges of rape are looked into under the general heading of sexual assault, and those found guilty face terms ranging from four to fifteen years in jail.
In this case, the public prosecutor is requesting that Mr. Alves serve nine years in prison and provide the victim €150,000 (£128,000) in damages.
Lucia Alves, his mother, who attended the court hearing on Monday with her son, may also be prosecuted for having identified her son’s accuser in a social media post prior to the trial.
That came after a judge decided that the woman’s identity could not be revealed in order to protect her.
After formally charging Mr. Alves in August, the court determined that there was sufficient evidence to proceed with his trial.
His attempts to be released on bond have been turned down repeatedly because the Brazilian national was deemed a flight risk by the courts.
One of the most decorated football players in history, Dani Alves has represented several elite teams, such as Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.
He played at Barcelona for more than 400 games, winning three Champions Leagues in two different stints, six league crowns, and a spot in the Brazilian team for the 2022 World Cup.
In January 2023, the Brazilian’s contract was terminated with immediate effect by his most recent club, Pumas UNAM of Mexico.