Former Brazil international Dani Alves was found guilty of raping a woman in a Barcelona nightclub and sentenced to four years and six months in prison on Thursday. A three-judge panel at the Barcelona Provincial Court convicted the 40-year-old ex-Brazil and Barcelona defender of sexual assault for the incident on Dec. 31, 2022.
The court also ordered Alves to pay 150,000 euros ($162,000) in compensation to the victim, banned him from approaching the victim’s home or place of work, and from communicating with her by any means for nine years.
Alves was in the courthouse to hear the verdict and sentence, and his lawyer, Ines Guardiola, said that her legal team was going to appeal and that they will defend Alves’ innocence until the end.
David Saenz, a member of the victim’s legal team, said, “We are satisfied because this verdict recognizes what we have always known, that the victim told the truth and that she has suffered.