Dani Alves will stand trial for sexual assault in Spain as former Barcelona defender faces allegations of raping a woman, 23, in a nightclub last year

• Alves was arrested in January and has been held in a prison outside Barcelona
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Former Barcelona and Brazil defender Dani Alves has been ordered to stand trial in Spain on charges of sexual assault of a woman in a Barcelona nightclub last December, a Spanish court said on Tuesday. 

Alves, 40, was arrested on January 20 and has been held in a prison outside Barcelona. If found guilty he could face a jail sentence of four to 15 years. 

The former Brazil international, who also played for Sevilla, Juventus and PSG, has denied any wrongdoing. 

In a document signed by three judges, the investigation court No. 15 in Barcelona, which is yet to set a date for the proceedings to begin, said there were sufficient grounds for Alves to stand trial, following requests by the public prosecutor and the woman’s lawyer. 

In August, judges formally indicted Alves after finding evidence of suspected wrongdoing by the former right back.

Former Barcelona and Brazil defender Dani Alves has been ordered to stand trial in Spain on charges of sexual assault of a woman in a Barcelona nightclub last December

Alves is pictured with his wife, the model Joana Sanz, in a Instagram post in January 2022 before the claims were made. Joana Sanz appeared to confirm she’d split from Alves in March

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‘The statements of the alleged victim and the witnesses statements and experts’ reports that appear in the case must be considered as sufficient for this purpose, without prejudice to the final outcome following the plenary phase,’ the court said.

Under Spain’s sexual consent law passed last year, sexual assault takes in a wide array of crimes from online abuse and groping to rape, each with different possible punishments.

READ MORE: Dani Alves insists the ‘only person I have to apologise to is my wife’ after sexual assault allegations despite facing up to 15 years in prison, as he again pleads his innocence

A case of rape can carry a maximum sentence of 15 years.

Alves said previously: ‘It will be proven that I am not guilty and it was a consensual relationship.

‘It would never cross my mind to impose a sexual act on anyone.’

His wife, the model Joana Sanz, appeared to confirm she had split from the footballer in a social media post dated March 15.

In a handwritten letter, she said ‘it will take years to erase from my memory his way of looking at me’ and ‘here is a strong woman moving on to the next stage of her life.’

Alves was held in custody at Brians 1, a prison in Catalunya at the centre of a number of controversies.

Parlament de Catalunya sobre Departamentos Especial de Régimen Cerrado (DERT) heard that prisoners had been locked up for up to 21 hours a day in 2017 testimonies.

One inmate died by suicide after nine months kept in isolation, reportedly tied up on multiple occasions. 

Two prison officials were convicted for ill-treatment of an inmate in September 2017.

Alves was later moved to neighbouring Brians 2 ‘for his own protection’, according to Marca.

Manu Marlasca said on Onda Cero the move was common for high-profile inmates. 

Brians 2, meanwhile, is where eccentric tech guru John McAfee was found dead in his prison cell in June 2021.

Former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell was also once held at the prison.

Brians 1 and 2 are known as the Catalan jails for ‘famous people.’

The former Barcelona, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain defender is being held at Brians 2

Cristobal Martell (left), defence lawyer for Dani Alves, attends a hearing to decide on the appeal against his client’s detention without bail at the Barcelona Audience court, June 9 2023

Alves won 42 titles – including three Champions Leagues with Barcelona and two Copa Americas with Brazil. 

He is widely considered as one of the greatest full-backs of all time, having been a full international for Brazil since 2006 and the nation’s second most-capped player of all time, making 126 appearances and scoring eight goals.

Alves became the oldest Brazilian to play in a FIFA World Cup by playing in his nation’s defeat against Cameroon in the final round of Group G games.

The right back famously played for Barcelona from 2008-2016 and briefly returned to the LaLiga team for the 2021-22 season.

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