Breaking: Barcelona legend Dani Alves sentenced to 4.5 years in jail for sexual assault

Former Barcelona and Brazil right-back Dani Alves has been sentenced to four years and six months in prison for sexual assault. The crime occurred in a nightclub in Barcelona in 2022, with the victim a 23-year-old woman.

Dani Alves Receives 4.5-Year Sentence

As per reports from The Guardian, a written statement from Audencia Nacional in Barcelona has stated that the victim did not consent to sex with Alves. That, in addition to the victim’s written statement, proved the crime.

Dani Alves and his lawyer Ines Guardiola have denied wrongdoing and have said they will appeal. The prosecution had demanded a nine-year sentence, while the victim’s team requested 12 years. Since Alves has already completed a quarter of his sentence on remand, he could be released on license.

The 40-year-old was required to pay the victim €9,000 for physical damages. In addition, Dani Alves offered to pay an extra €150,000 as compensation to the victim.

Alves will be under legal supervision for a further five years. The Brazilian will also have a restraining order banning him from contacting the victim for the next 9.5 years.

A key factor to note is that the ruling suggested a shift away from the “victimization of the victim”. That has put the burden of proof regarding consent on the victim. A 2022 Legislation states that “proof of existence of sexual aggression is not dependent on there being physical injuries nor on the victim putting up a heroic opposition to having sexual relations”.

The incident occurred when Dani Alves met a woman in the VIP area of Sutton nightclub in Barcelona on December 30, 2022. After buying her drinks, the former defender asked her to join him in the bathroom and requested oral sex. Upon refusal by the victim, Alves raped her.

The Brazilian has denied wrongdoing on multiple occasions and has also changed his story several times in a bid to walk away scot free.

Dani Alves’s Career

Dani Alves was one of the most successful footballers during his playing days. Known best for representing Sevilla and Barcelona, among others, Alves won a staggering 37 titles for all his clubs. He made a total of 869 club appearances, scoring 61 goals and providing 178 assists. Alves also made 126 appearances for Brazil, scoring eight and providing 21 assists.

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