Brazilian footballer Dani Alves, accused of rape, was supposed to testify before the court in Barcelona yesterday, on the last day of the trial. Alves had the opportunity to speak after spending two days listening to testimony from the alleged victim, witnesses, and police officers.
The Brazilian is accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a nightclub in Barcelona on December 31st, 2022. He denies committing any criminal offense. Prosecutors are seeking a nine-year prison sentence for Alves if he is found guilty, while the victim’s lawyers are seeking him to spend 12 years behind bars.
The woman who accused Alves of rape testified on Monday behind closed doors at the court’s request. State prosecutors asked the court to take additional measures to protect her identity, especially after a video allegedly revealing her identity circulated on social media last month.
In her testimony before prosecutors last year, she claimed that Alves allegedly slapped, insulted, and raped her.
Alves, a former Barcelona footballer, has been in pre-trial detention since January 2023. His requests for bail were rejected because the court considered there was a risk of flight.
Dani Alves (40) is one of the most decorated players in history, having won 42 titles during his career, including three Champions League titles with Barcelona and two Copa America titles with Brazil. He achieved his greatest success playing for Barcelona, where he won 23 trophies from 2008 to 2016.
