Former international football player faces up to 12 years in prison. The trial is expected to last three days and around thirty witnesses will be called to testify. The prosecution, which had sought his arrest before the trial in Spain, is requesting a nine-year prison sentence as well as payment of €150,000 to the young woman and ten years of probation following his incarceration. Initially, he denied having met the young woman, but overwhelmed by material evidence, he now claims that the relationship was consensual and that he was in a state of intoxication.

The victim, who was 21 at the time of the incident, alleges that he slapped her and locked her in the VIP area’s restroom before sexually assaulting her. The Spanish authorities have repeatedly opposed Dani Alves’ release pending trial, citing a “high risk of flight” to Brazil, a country that generally does not extradite its citizens. To ensure her protection, her identity will not be revealed and she will not have to “visually confront the accused.” Last month, her lawyer filed a complaint against Dani Alves’ mother for posting a video showing images of her client.

Among the most decorated footballers in history, Dani Alves experienced the most illustrious period of his career at Barcelona, between 2008 and 2016, where he won 23 trophies. Upon his indictment, announced in January of last year, he was terminated by the Mexican club Pumas, where he was under contract until the end of the last season.