Former Barcelona footballer Dani Alves has been acquitted of rape after the Catalan High Court of Justice overturned his previous conviction, citing “inaccuracies and inconsistencies” in the case.
Alves, who was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison for allegedly assaulting a woman at a nightclub in December 2022, had been out on bail since March last year. The appeal judges ruled that the evidence presented against him did not meet the required legal standard to uphold the conviction.
In a statement released on Friday, the court explained its decision, stating that the initial ruling contained “gaps, inaccuracies, inconsistencies, and contradictions regarding the facts, legal assessment, and its consequences.”
The appeal judges determined that the complainant was an “unreliable witness” based on video evidence and DNA test results. The court also dismissed appeals from both the prosecution, which sought a longer prison sentence, and the private prosecution, which aimed to increase the penalty to 12 years.
Alves, who had maintained that the sexual encounter was consensual, has not yet made a public statement on the ruling. His mother, Lucia Alves, expressed gratitude on social media, sharing a family photo and writing, “Thank you, my God, for everything.”
The former Brazilian international was previously sacked by Mexican club UNAM Pumas following his arrest in early 2023. He spent over 14 months in prison before being released on bail with conditions, including a travel ban and weekly court check-ins.
As of now, neither Alves nor his wife, model Joana Sanz, has commented on his acquittal.
