Dani Alves trial set for February 2024

Former Brazil and Barcelona defender Dani Alves’ trial in Spain for alleged sexual assault has been set for 5-7 February 2024.


Alves, 40, has been in prison without bail since he was arrested in January over an allegation he assaulted a woman in a Barcelona nightclub last year.


He said he had consensual sex with his accuser after initially denying any sexual encounter with her.


A Spanish prosecutor is seeking a prison term of nine years for Alves.


The prosecutor has also asked for him to receive a restraining order following the jail term and for him to pay damages worth 150,000 euros (£130,000) to the woman.


A court in the Barcelona area formally indicted Alves in August and later decided there was enough evidence to send him to trial.


Alves, capped 126 times for Brazil, played for his country at the Qatar World Cup in 2022. He had his contract with Mexican club UNAM terminated after his arrest.


In Spain, a claim of rape is investigated under the general accusation of sexual assault and convictions can lead to prison sentences of between four and 15 years.