By Adenike Lawal
Former Barcelona and Brazil defender Dani Alves has won his appeal against a sexual assault conviction after a Spanish court ruled there was insufficient evidence to uphold the verdict.
The court overturned the four-year and six-month prison sentence handed to Alves for allegedly assaulting a young woman at a Barcelona nightclub on New Year’s Eve 2022.
The judges cited inconsistencies in the plaintiff’s testimony and video evidence that raised doubts about the case.
Alves, who had been released from prison in March 2024 while awaiting the appeal outcome, has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
His case was one of the first major trials under Spain’s revised consent laws, known as the “only yes means yes” law, which redefined the legal framework for sexual offenses.
The ruling has sparked renewed debate on Spain’s judicial approach to sexual assault cases. Meanwhile, Alves, who won major titles with Barcelona, Juventus, and Paris Saint Germain, remains focused on clearing his name.
