Dani Alves granted bail - huge fee and legal restrictions imposed on ex Barcelona star explained

Former Barcelona and Brazilian footballer Dani Alves can be conditionally released from jail after serving just a quarter of his sentence for rape, a Spanish court has ruled.

The 40-year-old was found guilty of raping a woman in a Barcelona nightclub in December 2022. He had been sentenced to four and a half years in prison last month but will not be released on a €1m (£853,000) bail.

The former full-back had been held in pre-trial detention since January 2023. His release will come with conditions that include turning over both his Brazilian and Spanish passports so he cannot leave Spain and he must also appear before court on a weekly basis. Alves has also had a restraining order imposed, preventing him from approaching the victim.

Alves reportedly told a bail hearing: "I believe in justice. I’m not going to run away and I will be at the disposal of the court until the end."

The bail decision was not unanimous with one of the judges putting in a dissenting vote. It can still be appealed.

During last month's trial, it was heard that Alves and his friend had bought champagne for three young women before the ex-footballer brought one of them to a VIP area of the nightclub with a toiler, which she had no knowledge of. The prosecution argued that Alves then turned violent and forced the woman to have sex despite repeated requests to leave. Alves protested that the victim could have left 'if she wanted to', but was found guilty.

The former footballer was sacked by Mexican club UNAM Pumas after his arrest 14 months ago. His wife at the time, model Joana Sanz, also filed for divorce after the allegations came to light.

Alves won six La Liga titles and the Champions League three times while at Barcelona but was removed from the club's official list of club legends after being found guilty.