Dani Alves jail: why is he in prison, football behind bars and update from latest court appearance?

Former Barcelona and Brazil football star Dani Alves returned to court on Monday to give evidence in the ongoing sexual assault investigation after an incident in Barcelona last year.

The 39-year-old has been in jail since January 20 after being accused of sexually assaulting a woman at Sutton Club Barcelona on December 30. Alves denies wrongdoing and says sex with the accuser was consensual.

The full-back, deemed to be a flight risk, was denied his request to be freed on bail and a trial date is yet to be set.

Why was Dani Alves in court ahead of the trial?

Dani Alves appeared at Barcelona’s Ciutat de la Justicia court on Monday, April 17 to give evidence to a judge investigating the sexual assault accusation.

The football star, who played at the World Cup in Qatar for Brazil last year, is giving the evidence at his own request according to Catalan outlets.

Since the star was arrested, Cristobal Martell has taken up the role as lawyer for Alves as the Barcelona provincial court found “sever indications of criminality” in the accusation.

During a 30-minute testimony on Monday, Alves acknowledged pentrating the woman accusing him of sexual assault but maintained that the accuser was consensual in the act.

What is Dani Alves charged with?

The Brazilian footballer has been charged with sexual assault relating to an incident at a nightclub in Barcelona on 30 December. A charge of sexual assault in Spain can mean anything from unsolicited and unwanted sexual touching to rape. Police said they could not give any details on the case.

Alves denied the allegations earlier this year in a video he sent to Spanish television channel Antena 3. While acknowledging he had been at the club, he said he did not know the woman and added “I have never invaded the personal space of anyone”.

Has Dani Alves joined a prison football team?

Spanish outlet Marca reports that Dani Alves has kept busy while in prison awaiting trial by playing football with inmates.

The defender has joined the Catalan prison’s football team and last week the Royal Spanish Football Federation announced the eleventh edition of the Intercentros Penitenciario Tournament, a tournament between prisons.

However, it is expected that Alves won’t compete in the tournament despite having been rumoured to be in line for a ‘trainer-coach’ role.