Former Barcelona and Brazil full-back Dani Alves is confronting serious legal challenges as he faces a potential nine-year prison sentence over allegations of sexual assault, reported by GOAL. The incident is said to have occurred in December 2022 in Barcelona, and Alves is scheduled to stand trial in Spain. The Prosecutor's Office is advocating for a nine-year imprisonment term, accompanied by a €150,000 (£130,500/$163,000) damages payment and a subsequent restraining order.

Alves, who last played for UNAM and has an illustrious football career with 42 titles to his name, was arrested in January and has been in prison since. Initially, he denied any connection with the woman involved, but later admitted to consensual relations while vehemently denying any wrongdoing. In an interview with La Vanguardia in June, he asserted, “I have a really clear conscience regarding what happened that night in the bathroom of the VIP area of the Sutton nightclub. What happened and what didn't happen. And what didn't happen is that I forced this woman to do anything that we did.”

The legal proceedings have led to Alves' dismissal from his club side Pumas, marking a significant fall for the 40-year-old football icon. Despite being a celebrated figure in the sport, having achieved success with Barcelona and winning the Copa America with Brazil, Alves now faces the possibility of a lengthy prison term.

As the trial date for Dani Alves awaits confirmation, the former star's situation underscores the legal complexities football personalities may encounter off the pitch. The maximum sentence for a rape case in Spain is 15 years, adding a layer of gravity to Alves' legal predicament.