Former Barcelona and Brazil player Dani Alves has gone on trial in Spain over allegations he raped a woman in a nightclub. The 40-year-old has been in prison for more than a year, since the incident allegedly took place in December 2022.
Alves risks 12 years in prison if found guilty. Initially, he denied having met the woman who accuses him, but later said that there was a consensus between the two of them to have sex. Alves’ trial ends on Wednesday.
More than 30 people, including Alves himself and his ex-wife, are expected to testify. A Barcelona court on Monday rejected his request to suspend the trial to give him more time to prepare, thus dismissing the claim that he was being tried by the media.
Alves’ accuser was among the witnesses on the first day of the trial. She spoke behind a screen to protect her identity. She claims Alves lured her into a toilet in the VIP section of a Barcelona nightclub and then forced her to have sex with him.
On the night of the incident, she was accompanied by a cousin and a friend who also testified on Monday. They said that Alves had flirted earlier in the evening with the accuser. According to them, at first the woman was not ready to report it because she was afraid that no one would believe her.
In Spain an allegation of rape is investigated under the general charge of sexual assault and sentences can range from 4 to 15 years. In this case, the prosecutor demands 9 years in prison for Alves and to pay 150,000 euros in compensation to the woman.
Alves’ mother, Lucia, was present at the hearing on Monday. She could also be prosecuted after naming her son’s accuser in a post on social media before the trial. In this case, there was a decision that the accuser should not be identified in order to protect her.
Alves was formally charged in August and the court ruled there was enough evidence to send him to trial. His requests to be released on bail have been rejected as the courts considered that the Brazilian could leave the country.
Dani Alves is one of the most decorated footballers in the history of football. He has played with Barcelona most of his career, but also with PSG. He played more than 400 matches with the Spaniards, winning 6 championships and 3 Champions Leagues. His last club, Pumas UNAM in Mexico terminated the Brazilian’s contract in January 2023.