April 21, (THEWILL) – Brazilian footballer, Dani Alves, has asked a Spanish court to release him on bail while he awaits trial for rape.
The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-German star was arrested in January on charges of raping a woman in a nightclub bathroom in Barcelona the previous December. Alves has been held without bail due to concerns that he might try to flee. His lawyers have argued that he is willing to defend himself and will not avoid the trial.
This is not the first time Alves’ legal team has requested his release. Their initial request was denied in February. Alves appeared in court on Monday, where he admitted to having sexual relations with the woman but claimed that they were consensual. The incident occurred while Alves was on holiday in Barcelona after playing for Brazil at the World Cup in Qatar.
After his arrest, Alves was fired by his Mexican club Pumas UNAM. The 39-year-old is one of football’s most successful players, having won six La Liga titles, three UEFA Champions League crowns, and four Copa del Rey trophies during his time with Barcelona.
At last year’s World Cup, he became the oldest player to represent Brazil. The case is ongoing, and Alves remains in custody as the investigation continues.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
