Dani Alves has now spoken from behind bars for the first time in six months after being detained for sexual assault.
In an interview that was published on Wednesday, June 21, the 40-year-old former Barcelona fullback who is facing a rape charge in Spain insisted he is innocent.
The event in question is believed to have occurred in a Barcelona nightclub in December 2022; the player was detained in January; and this is his first public statement since then.
Prosecutors have made the court to believe that there was a chance the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-German player would attempt to flee, so he has been held in detention without bail.
Due to allegations that he sexually assaulted a young Spanish woman last year, Dani Alves could spend up to 12 years in prison.
However, Alves says he has a “clear conscience” and is not guilty of the charge that has been brought against him.
In his first interview with La Vanguardia since he was detained, the embattled footballer said: “I have a fairly clear conscience on what transpired that night in the bathroom of the VIP area of the Sutton nightclub.”
He added: “What occurred and what did not occur? Furthermore, none of the things we performed were forced upon this woman by me”
Dani Alves Initially Denied Rape Charges
Dani Alves initially denied knowing the woman in a television appearance when the allegation first surfaced and before he was detained.
The 40-year-old added that he altered his testimony multiple times to preserve his relationship with his now-supposed ex-wife Joana Sanz.
However, after being detained, he changed his story and insisted that they had consensual encounters when questioned by investigators.
He admitted that he initially lied out of fear that his wife would leave him if he came clean about having an extramarital affair.
Alves said: “Without thinking about the price I am now paying, I battled valiantly to salvage my marriage from my infidelity”.
The Rape Case Angers Women’s Organizations
Alves was on vacation in Barcelona at the time of the alleged rape after representing Brazil in the World Cup in Qatar.
Last Monday, a Spanish judge denied his application for bail while he awaits his trial because he posed a flight risk.
The La Vanguardia interview with Alves, which dominated Wednesday’s television chat shows, infuriated numerous women’s organizations.
The representative of the Spanish government against gender violence, Victoria Rosell, tweeted that “trivializing gender violence, supporting the aggressor, and discrediting the victim, cause more harm to her and fuels rape culture.”
Meanwhile, amid the rape case, Alves was fired by his Mexican team Pumas UNAM following his arrest.
Alves enjoyed a very fruitful footballing career, winning 43 titles, including three Champions Leagues with Barcelona and two Copa Americas with Brazil.
Although a specific date has not yet been made public, his trial is anticipated to begin later this year, in either October or November.
