A court in Spain has found former Barcelona and Brazil footballer Dani Alves guilty of raping a woman in a Barcelona nightclub.
He has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison.
The 40-year-old, who is one of the most decorated footballers in history, had denied sexually assaulting the woman in the early hours of 31 December 2022.
His lawyer had asked for him to be acquitted and Alves can appeal against the sentence.
Alves had been accused of luring the woman to a toilet in a VIP section of the nightclub and had argued that she could have left “if she wanted to”. However, the court found that she did not consent.
In a statement, the court said there was evidence other than the victim’s testimony that proved that she had been raped.
The victim said Alves raped her in a bathroom. He was also ordered to pay 150,000 euros to the victim by the court.
The 40-year-old ex-right-back was arrested in January 2023. He has been detained since then and had requests for bail denied as the court considered him a flight risk.
The Brazilian Federal Constitution guarantees that no Brazilian citizen can be extradited by the country.
Alves denied any wrongdoing during the trial. Speaking in 2023 to Spanish TV channel Antena 3, he said: “I was dancing and having a good time without invading anyone’s space.
“I don’t know who this lady is… How could I do that to a woman? No.”
The courts decision can be appealed.
By Agencies
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