With all restrictions lifted by the court, the Brazilian footballer can now leave Spain.
Dani Alves has won his appeal against the punishment he received for sexual assault. The High Court of Catalonia in Spain has overturned the Brazilian footballer’s sentence.
In December 2022, Alves was found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman at a nightclub in Barcelona. In February 2024, he was sentenced to four and a half years in prison.
Having won over 40 titles for club and country, Alves immediately announced his decision to appeal the ruling by the Barcelona court.
The former Barcelona defender was released on bail the following month.
On Friday, the High Court of Catalonia overturned the 41-year-old Alves’ sentence, citing “inconsistencies” and “contradictions” in the case.
With the court lifting his travel ban, restriction orders, and compensation directives, Alves is now free to leave Spain.
The victim retains the right to appeal this decision to Spain’s Supreme Court.
The plaintiff accused Alves of raping her at a Barcelona nightclub in December 2022. He was arrested by Barcelona police the following month. The court rejected his bail application and ordered him to be sent to jail.
According to media reports at the time, the woman was at the nightclub with friends. Alves allegedly touched her inappropriately beneath her underwear without consent. She claimed that he slapped her and then raped her in the nightclub’s bathroom.
Initially, Alves denied all allegations. In an interview with local TV channel Antena 3, two weeks before his arrest, he stated that he did not know the woman.
Later, he changed his testimony and admitted to having sexual relations with the accuser but claimed that it was consensual.
After his arrest, Alves’ then-club Pumas terminated his contract. The defender, who had previously played for top European clubs like Barcelona, Juventus, and PSG, was also separated from his wife, Joana Sanz.
Dani Alves played 126 matches for Brazil. He captained the national team against Cameroon in the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
