Dani Alves rape case: Barcelona legend to stay in jail as judge rejects latest bail appeal

Former FC Barcelona defender Dani Alves will remain in jail while he awaits trial for rape charges that were filed against him at the Catalan capital early this year. A Spanish court has once again denied his appeal to be freed on bail on Tuesday. This is the second time that his legal team failed to convince the court to allow him to wait for the conclusion of the case outside prison.

Alves was arrested on January 20, 2023, over allegations of sexual assault that reportedly took place at the Sutton nightclub in Barcelona on December 30. He was detained right after his arraignment and has since been locked up at the Brians 2 prison in Barcelona.

In February, the judge rejected his initial appeal to be freed on bail after it was determined that he poses a significant flight risk. His lengthy career as a professional footballer ensures that he has enough resources to abscond, and his dual citizenship means he can fly to Brazil where there is no extradition treaty with Spain.

No date has been set for the trial, but Alves' lawyers have been trying to find a way to get the footballer out of prison as soon as possible. According to the Associated Press, the Brazilian's team filed a 200-page report as part of their appeal.

Alves maintains his innocence

The footballer gave contradicting statements at the start of the investigation, which he attributed to his desire to hide the infidelity from his wife. He has since changed his story several times, but has always maintained that no sexual assault took place, After initially denying it, he has admitted that he had sexual relations with his accuser, but that the entire encounter was consensual.

His team presented CCTV footage from the venue and witness statements which they feel should discredit the rape allegations. Alves also stated that he is willing to surrender his passport and to wear a tracking device should he be allowed to wait for trial under house arrest. However, none of these measures convinced the judge, and his latest appeal has been rejected.

If found guilty, Alves is facing a maximum sentence of up to 15 years in prison.

The case has upended his professional and personal life

Since his arrest, Mexican football club Pumas UNAM terminated his contract. It is understood that the club may also be looking at filing a case against the player for damages and breach of contract. The club signed him last summer after he left Barcelona for the second time following a short-term deal that saw him return in the middle of the club's financial crisis.

Alves holds the record as the most decorated footballer of all time with 43 trophies under his belt. Unfortunately, the scandal may put a bitter end to his long, illustrious career. Now at 40 years of age, it is highly unlikely that he will return to professional football even if he is acquitted and released in the near future.

Meanwhile, apart from the professional crisis, the rape allegations have wreaked havoc on Alves' personal life as well. His wife, Spanish model Joana Sanz, was with him in Barcelona to attend her mother's funeral when he was arrested in January.

She has since confirmed that she intends to divorce the footballer, although he has reportedly refused to sign the paperwork. Nevertheless, she is determined to end the marriage after he confirmed that he had cheated on her with his accuser. He initially denied knowing the unidentified young woman, but has since been forced to admit to having sexual relations with her especially after evidence of the same was successfully collected by investigators.

As part of his defence, his team is relying heavily on security footage which shows the woman voluntarily following him into the toilet of the VIP area of the nightclub after he had initially entered alone.