Dani Alves has denied allegations of sexually assaulting a young woman at a nightclub in Barcelona.
The 40-year-old claimed that the woman never told him to stop and that he's “not that kind of man.”
Alves told a Spanish court that his coitus with the young woman was consensual. He made these assertions two days after listening to witnesses, experts, and the alleged victim share their testimony.
The young woman testified in court that Dani Alves had raped her in a bathroom of an upscale nightclub early in the morning of December 31, 2022.
When his defense lawyer asked him if he had forced her to have sexual activities with him, the embattled footballer said:
“I am not that type of man; I am not a violent man.”
The supposed victim told state prosecutors that she danced with the former Barcelona man and willingly entered the bathroom.
However, the young woman said that when she wanted to exit the Bathroom he didn't allow her to leave.
The alleged victim additionally claimed that Alves slapped her, insulted her, and forced her to have sexual relations against her will.
Dani Alves also said that the unnamed woman never told him to stop, as they were both enjoying the activity.
He repeated that she never gave him any pointer concerning not wanting to have sexual relations with him, or even never asked him to leave.
The Brazilian great also denied slapping or insulting her at any point in time.
Reports indicate that state prosecutors are seeking for Dani Alves to be handed a nine-year prison sentence if found guilty, while the alleged victim's lawyer wants a jail term of 12 years for the former Juventus player.
His defense requested for him to be let off the hook, and if the footballer is not found guilty, a one-year sentence alongside 50,000 euros (£42,000) compensation should be slammed on the victim.
The trial held for three days from Monday, February 5, 2024, to Wednesday, February 7, 2024.
A verdict is expected to be delivered in the coming weeks and those following the matter will be hoping that justice is dished out lawfully.
Dani Alves was escorted in handcuffs into the small courtroom donning a long-sleeve white sweater, dark trousers, and glasses.
Alves' mother was present outside, and so has been the case since the trial began. His former partner, who divorced the Brazilian after the arrest, was only in the courtroom on Tuesday, February 6, 2024.
She testified that her former boyfriend had arrived home “smelling of alcohol” after the alleged assault.
Meanwhile, state prosecutors requested that the alleged victim's identity be protected, after it was reported that her identity was revealed in January 2024, after a video circulated on social media.
A witness speaking for the woman had claimed that after the young woman exited the bathroom she was in a fretful state.
She said that the alleged victim told them that the footballer had “hurt her badly”, and police officers also weighed in on the matter.
The officers said that the woman had to battle through fears that no one would believe her, while one police officer firmly stated that the woman said: “I don't want money, I want justice.”
Dani Alves' friend who also testified in court expressed that the footballer and the woman showed “chemistry” and he hadn't noticed anything wrong with her subsequently.
Anyway, Alves' defense has claimed that the footballer's drunken state can be taken as an extenuating factor for a lesser sentence if he is found guilty.
This case is the most notable sex crime trial since Spain changed its legislation in 2022 to make consent, or the lack thereof, central to telling if a sex crime has occurred.
The legislation was overhauled in response to massive protests following a gang rape case during the San Fermin bull-running festival in Pamplona in 2016.
This legislation is fondly known as the “only yes means yes” law and it defines consent as a plain expression of a person's will, making it obvious that silence or passivity does not equate to consent.
Dani Alves' lawyer, Ines Guardiola, pointed towards footage that showed how the young woman sexually danced with the ex-PSG man, indicating her interest before the alleged incident happened.
Esther Garcia, who is the woman's lawyer, rebutted in her closing argument that the new law made her client's lack of consent once inside the bathroom important in the legal matter.
Additionally, it also renders irrelevant how her client may have danced with the 40-year-old before the alleged assault.
Garcia said: “I don't care how she was dancing when she said `no', that meant `no.' That is why the law was changed.
“The debate is no longer whether the victim put up resistance.”
Dani Alves has been in pre-trial jail since he was detained on January 20, 2023, and his bail pleas weren't granted due to the court considering him to be a flight risk.
It is understood that Brazil does not extradite its citizens when they are sentenced in other countries.
Alves initially claimed that he had no sexual intercourse with the woman, before admitting to having a consensual affair with her.
Dani Alves stated that his reason for not admitting at first to the case was in a bid to save his marriage.
The 40-year-old was ordered before the trial to put aside 150,000 euros if he is found guilty and ordered to pay damages to the alleged victim.
The Brazilian had a magnificent football career winning several trophies and playing for the biggest of clubs, including; Barcelona, Sevilla, Juventus, and Paris Saint Germain.
He is the most successful player in football history alongside Lionel Messi, with 43 senior titles, including; 3 UEFA Champions League titles, and 9 League titles, he also won 2 Copa America with Brazil and 2 FIFA Confederation Cups.
The 40-year-old claimed that the woman never told him to stop and that he's “not that kind of man.”
Alves told a Spanish court that his coitus with the young woman was consensual. He made these assertions two days after listening to witnesses, experts, and the alleged victim share their testimony.
The young woman testified in court that Dani Alves had raped her in a bathroom of an upscale nightclub early in the morning of December 31, 2022.
When his defense lawyer asked him if he had forced her to have sexual activities with him, the embattled footballer said:
“I am not that type of man; I am not a violent man.”
The supposed victim told state prosecutors that she danced with the former Barcelona man and willingly entered the bathroom.
However, the young woman said that when she wanted to exit the Bathroom he didn't allow her to leave.
The alleged victim additionally claimed that Alves slapped her, insulted her, and forced her to have sexual relations against her will.
Dani Alves also said that the unnamed woman never told him to stop, as they were both enjoying the activity.
He repeated that she never gave him any pointer concerning not wanting to have sexual relations with him, or even never asked him to leave.
The Brazilian great also denied slapping or insulting her at any point in time.
Reports indicate that state prosecutors are seeking for Dani Alves to be handed a nine-year prison sentence if found guilty, while the alleged victim's lawyer wants a jail term of 12 years for the former Juventus player.
His defense requested for him to be let off the hook, and if the footballer is not found guilty, a one-year sentence alongside 50,000 euros (£42,000) compensation should be slammed on the victim.
The trial held for three days from Monday, February 5, 2024, to Wednesday, February 7, 2024.
A verdict is expected to be delivered in the coming weeks and those following the matter will be hoping that justice is dished out lawfully.
Dani Alves was escorted in handcuffs into the small courtroom donning a long-sleeve white sweater, dark trousers, and glasses.
Alves' mother was present outside, and so has been the case since the trial began. His former partner, who divorced the Brazilian after the arrest, was only in the courtroom on Tuesday, February 6, 2024.
She testified that her former boyfriend had arrived home “smelling of alcohol” after the alleged assault.
Meanwhile, state prosecutors requested that the alleged victim's identity be protected, after it was reported that her identity was revealed in January 2024, after a video circulated on social media.
A witness speaking for the woman had claimed that after the young woman exited the bathroom she was in a fretful state.
She said that the alleged victim told them that the footballer had “hurt her badly”, and police officers also weighed in on the matter.
The officers said that the woman had to battle through fears that no one would believe her, while one police officer firmly stated that the woman said: “I don't want money, I want justice.”
Dani Alves' friend who also testified in court expressed that the footballer and the woman showed “chemistry” and he hadn't noticed anything wrong with her subsequently.
Anyway, Alves' defense has claimed that the footballer's drunken state can be taken as an extenuating factor for a lesser sentence if he is found guilty.
This case is the most notable sex crime trial since Spain changed its legislation in 2022 to make consent, or the lack thereof, central to telling if a sex crime has occurred.
The legislation was overhauled in response to massive protests following a gang rape case during the San Fermin bull-running festival in Pamplona in 2016.
This legislation is fondly known as the “only yes means yes” law and it defines consent as a plain expression of a person's will, making it obvious that silence or passivity does not equate to consent.
Dani Alves' lawyer, Ines Guardiola, pointed towards footage that showed how the young woman sexually danced with the ex-PSG man, indicating her interest before the alleged incident happened.
Esther Garcia, who is the woman's lawyer, rebutted in her closing argument that the new law made her client's lack of consent once inside the bathroom important in the legal matter.
Additionally, it also renders irrelevant how her client may have danced with the 40-year-old before the alleged assault.
Garcia said: “I don't care how she was dancing when she said `no', that meant `no.' That is why the law was changed.
“The debate is no longer whether the victim put up resistance.”
Dani Alves has been in pre-trial jail since he was detained on January 20, 2023, and his bail pleas weren't granted due to the court considering him to be a flight risk.
It is understood that Brazil does not extradite its citizens when they are sentenced in other countries.
Alves initially claimed that he had no sexual intercourse with the woman, before admitting to having a consensual affair with her.
Dani Alves stated that his reason for not admitting at first to the case was in a bid to save his marriage.
The 40-year-old was ordered before the trial to put aside 150,000 euros if he is found guilty and ordered to pay damages to the alleged victim.
The Brazilian had a magnificent football career winning several trophies and playing for the biggest of clubs, including; Barcelona, Sevilla, Juventus, and Paris Saint Germain.
He is the most successful player in football history alongside Lionel Messi, with 43 senior titles, including; 3 UEFA Champions League titles, and 9 League titles, he also won 2 Copa America with Brazil and 2 FIFA Confederation Cups.