Dani Alves will remain behind bars. The request for the football player's release was rejected a second time by the judge in charge of the investigation into the alleged rape of a woman who decided on Tuesday to keep the Brazil international in pre-trial detention.

"The investigating court of the 15th district of Barcelona has rejected the request for release requested by the defense," announced the High Court of Justice of Catalonia, which means that the player aged 40 since Saturday will remain in prison.

Court highlights "high risk of absconding"

Alves' lawyers, in detention since January 20, 2023, had requested the release of their client on April 20, while the Brazilian had reiterated a few days earlier during a hearing at his own request that he had consensual sexual relations with the complainant. Alves, who this time provided video evidence to confront the two versions, had already been denied a first request for release pending trial.

The court had highlighted "the high risk of flight" of the player "related to the high sentence that can be imposed on him in this case", the "severe indications" incriminating him and his "enormous financial means that could allow him to leave Spain at any time". The Brazilian's lawyers believe that the "risk of flight is unthinkable" and have proposed the possibility of bail as well as the withdrawal of his two passports (Spanish and Brazilian) to reassure the judge. The magistrate therefore rejected Tuesday this request for release as well as all intermediate measures (bail, withdrawal of passport, electronic bracelet).

An emblematic player of Barça

Dani Alves, then under contract with the Mexican club Pumas, is accused by a young woman of raping her at the end of December in the toilets of a trendy nightclub in Barcelona. He is incarcerated in the prison complex of Brians, located about forty kilometers from Barcelona.

The most successful footballer in history, with 43 trophies, Alves enjoyed the most glorious period of his career at Barça, between 2008 and 2016, when he won 23 trophies. He also played for teams such as Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain. In Qatar, at 39, he became the oldest Brazilian player to participate in a World Cup.

  • Football
  • Sport
  • Rape
  • Daniel Alves
  • Spain
  • Barcelona
  • Prison