Former Barcelona and Brazil defender Dani Alves has had his rape conviction overturned by a Spanish court after an appeal found “inconsistencies and contradictions” in the case against him.
The 41-year-old was sentenced to four and a half years in prison in February 2024 for the alleged sexual assault of a woman at a Barcelona nightclub in 2022. However, the appeals division of Catalonia’s High Court of Justice has now unanimously acquitted him, citing gaps and inaccuracies in the original ruling.
In its decision, the court criticized the lower court’s handling of the case, stating that the complainant’s testimony was not sufficiently scrutinized and that forensic evidence, including fingerprints and biological samples, had not been adequately considered.
The ruling also questioned the alleged victim’s claim that she followed Alves into the bathroom out of fear, concluding instead that she had entered voluntarily for a more intimate encounter. As a result, the court lifted all restrictions on Alves, including his travel ban and restraining order.
Alves, who was released on bail in March 2024 while awaiting his appeal, expressed his relief through his lawyer, Ines Guardiola, who stated:
“Alves is very happy. He is innocent, that is demonstrated. Justice has spoken.”
The ruling is not necessarily final, as the decision can still be appealed to Spain’s Supreme Court.
Alves, a decorated footballer, won multiple titles with Sevilla, Barcelona, Juventus, and Paris Saint-Germain and played 126 times for Brazil, winning two Copa America titles and an Olympic gold medal. He was under contract with Pumas UNAM in Mexico at the time of his arrest, which led to the immediate termination of his deal.
