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Catalonia's highest court has found Dani Alves guilty

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Alberto Estevez / EPO

Former Brazilian footballer Dani Alves has been sentenced to four years and six months in prison by a Spanish court.

The verdict against the 40-year-old was pronounced in Barcelona on Thursday, and he must also pay the victim compensation of 150,000 euros.

Alves has the opportunity to appeal the verdict.

The reason for the conviction is sexual assault that Alves is said to have committed in the toilet of a nightclub at the end of December.

The former national player, who played for the top clubs FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain for a long time, is said to have touched the woman's genital area while she was dancing and then raped her.

Alves changed his statements several times

Alves was arrested in January.

During the course of the proceedings he made contradictory statements.

Before his arrest, he said in a television interview that he didn't know the woman who accused him at all.

However, after his arrest, he told investigators that he had had consensual sex with her.

However, the victim described the incident in a way that seemed compelling to the court.

Alves then lured her into the bathroom where he beat, pushed and forced her to have sexual intercourse.

"The verdict assumes that it has been proven that the victim did not consent and that there is evidence, in addition to the plaintiff's statement, to consider the rape as proven," the court announced in a statement.

The public prosecutor's office had demanded a nine-year prison sentence.

Alves' mother is facing legal action for breach of privacy

Alves' mother also played a role in the trial: Lucía Alves tried to refute the victim's claim of being traumatized by posting the woman's name on Instagram, along with photos and videos of her partying.

Only shortly before the trial began did Alves take the posts offline again.

She is now facing proceedings for violating court orders and privacy.

During the trial, the identity of the “reporter,” as she can only be called, was protected by police officers from the special sexual offenses unit.

Dani Alves has won 42 titles in his career, making him the second most successful professional in history.

Only Lionel Messi, with whom Alves played at Barcelona, ​​has won more titles.

mrk/Reuters