Dani Alves Acquitted of Sexual Assault Charges by Barcelona Appeals Court

The court overturned the footballer's conviction, citing insufficient evidence and inconsistencies in the initial ruling.

Brazilian footballer Dani Alves was acquitted by the Barcelona Appeals Court of sexual assault charges stemming from a December 2022 nightclub incident.
The appeals court unanimously overturned Alves' February 2024 conviction, which had sentenced him to four and a half years in prison and a €150,000 compensation payment.
Judges criticized the initial ruling for relying solely on the accuser's testimony, which was not corroborated by surveillance footage.
The court highlighted significant gaps, inaccuracies, contradictions, and inconsistencies in the original verdict's reasoning.
Alves, who spent 14 months in pre-trial detention, had maintained that the sexual encounter was consensual throughout the legal proceedings.