Barcelona icon Dani Alves faces NINE YEARS in prison for ‘sexual assault’ of woman in VIP area of a nightclub, if he’s found guilty in Spain as prosecutors push for a jail sentence for ex-Brazil star, 40

Former Barcelona and Brazil star Dani Alves could face a nine-year prison sentence if he is found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in a nightclub.

Prosecutors are calling for that sentence, plus £130,000 in damages and 10 years’ probation, news agency EFE said, after the case finally reached the trial stage in Spain.

Alves, 40, was arrested on January 20 and is being held in a prison outside Barcelona. The former Sevilla, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain defender denies all allegations and claims it was consensual.

He was ordered to stand trial earlier this month after changing his testimony four times.

Alves was denied bail by judges in January following his arrest for alleged sexual assault in the bathroom of Sutton nightclub in Barcelona on December 30.

The 40-year-old, who played for Brazil at last year’s World Cup, has been held in a prison near Barcelona since his arrest in January.

The alleged assault took place at the exclusive Sutton nightclub in Barcelona

He was playing for Mexican club UNAM at the time and the jury was of the opinion that Alves posed a flight risk. UNAM subsequently terminated his contract.

Alves previously said: ‘It will be proven that I am not guilty and that there was a consensual relationship.

“It would never occur to me to force a sexual act on someone.”

His wife, the model Joana Sanz, appeared to confirm on social media that she had divorced the footballer after dated March 15.

In a handwritten letter, she said “it will take years to erase the way he viewed me from my memory” and “here is a strong woman moving on to the next phase of her life.”

Alves was held in Brians 1, a prison in Catalonia that has been the subject of a number of controversies.

Parlament de Catalunya on Departamentos Especial de Régimen Cerrado (DERT) heard that prisoners were locked up for up to 21 hours a day in 2017.

Alves played for Mexican club UNAM before his arrest. They canceled his contract

Alves is pictured with his wife, model Joana Sanz, in an Instagram post in January 2022 before the claims were made. Joana Sanz appeared to confirm that she had split from Alves in March

A prisoner died by suicide after nine months in isolation, and reportedly being tied up several times.

There were two prison officials convicted for assaulting a prisoner in September 2017.

Alves was later moved to neighboring Brians 2 “for his own protection,” according to Marca.

Manu Marlasca said on Onda Cero that the move was common for high-profile prisoners.

In Brians 2, eccentric technology guru John McAfee was found dead in his prison cell in June 2021.

Former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell was also once held in prison.

Brians 1 and 2 are known as the Catalan prisons for ‘famous people’.

The former Barcelona, ​​Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain defender is being held in Brians 2

Cristobal Martell (left), lawyer for Dani Alves, attends a hearing to decide the appeal against his client’s detention without bail at the Barcelona Audience Court, June 9, 2023

Alves won 42 titles, including three Champions Leagues with Barcelona and two Copa Americas with Brazil.

He is widely regarded as one of the greatest full-backs of all time, as he has been a full international for Brazil since 2006 and is the country’s second highest-ranked player of all time, with 126 appearances and eight goals.

Alves became the oldest Brazilian to play in a FIFA World Cup by playing in his country’s defeat to Cameroon in the final round of Group G matches.

The right-back played for Barcelona from 2008 to 2016, briefly returning to the LaLiga team for the 2021-2022 season.