Overview

• Dani Alves was acquitted of sexual assault charges by the Barcelona Appeals Court, which found the initial conviction relied solely on the accuser's testimony without corroborating evidence.
• Alves' defense is pursuing compensation for the 14 months he spent in pre-trial detention, arguing he was wrongfully imprisoned.
• The accuser's lawyer criticized the acquittal as a setback and announced plans to appeal the decision to Spain's Supreme Court.
• The initial conviction in February 2024 sentenced Alves to 4.5 years in prison and included a €150,000 compensation payment to the accuser.
• The case has reignited public debate over Spain's 'only yes means yes' consent law and the balance between victim protection and the rights of the accused in high-profile cases.