Dani Alves was one of Brazil’s most revered players for years. But that has now changed – for good reason.
With 126 international matches, two Copa América triumphs and dozens of titles, Dani Alves is one of the most successful footballers of the past two decades. In his hometown of Juazeiro in eastern Brazil there has even been a statue of the now 40-year-old right-back for several years.
But it is precisely this statue that has now been defaced by the city’s citizens after Alves was found guilty of sexual aggression in Spain. The verdict was four and a half years in prison and 150,000 euros in compensation.
Alves’ face was covered with a garbage bag, which was attached to his head and upper body with adhesive tape so that only parts of his body can be seen.
The court’s reasoning
The 40-year-old had been in custody for a good year before the verdict after a young woman accused him of raping her in a toilet at a nightclub in the Catalan metropolis on the night of December 31, 2022. An appeal could still be lodged against the verdict.
The court found it proven that “the defendant abruptly grabbed the complainant, threw her to the ground, held her and penetrated her vaginally, even though she had said no and wanted to leave,” the court’s statement said.
The ex-Barça professional rejected the allegations in the trial two weeks ago. The sexual acts were carried out with the young woman’s consent. “She didn’t tell me she didn’t want to,” Alves said at the time. “We both enjoyed it.” However, he admitted to three judges and the numerous journalists who attended that he had been drunk that night.
During the investigation, Alves initially denied any sexual contact with the then 23-year-old woman, as the Catalan justice system announced. He then explained in court that he had lied at the beginning to “save his marriage.” “I thought my wife wouldn’t forgive me.”
The public prosecutor’s office had demanded nine years in prison and also 150,000 euros in damages. The plaintiff’s lawyers wanted to send the footballer behind bars for twelve years.