Alves was convicted of rape and sentenced to 4 and a half years in prison (French)

Former Brazilian star Dani Alves, who was sentenced to 4 and a half years in prison for rape, paid bail of one million euros and left prison pending appeal, according to what a court in Barcelona announced on Monday.

Alves (40 years old), one of the most decorated players in the world, was sentenced last February to prison on charges of raping a young woman in a nightclub in Barcelona on December 31, 2022.

In a surprising move, a court in Barcelona on Wednesday approved his request for temporary release while his appeal was considered, on the condition that he pay bail of one million euros ($1.08 million), hand over his Spanish and Brazilian passports, remain in the country and present himself to the court “weekly.”

But by 2 p.m. on Thursday afternoon, the deadline for paying bail, Alves's representatives had not transferred the money, and the same thing happened on Friday, so he remained in prison until the beginning of the day.

The former star of Barcelona, ​​Spain, Juventus, Italy, and Paris Saint-Germain, France, needed 5 days to collect the bail amount.

The court said in a statement, “We inform you that Dani Alves’ bail deposit has been registered in the accounts of Section 21 of the Barcelona Court.”

Television crews gathered outside the Brians 2 prison, located 40 kilometers northwest of Barcelona, ​​where Alves is being held, to capture the moment of his expected release in the coming hours.

Rumors have spread that the father of another Brazilian star, former teammate Neymar, could help him pay bail.

Alves was released from Brians 2 prison, located 40 km northwest of Barcelona (Reuters)

Financial deterioration

But Neymar, the Saudi Al Hilal player who said last January that he would pay 150,000 euros to help the former full-back pay his lawyer’s fees, a statement issued by his father - last Thursday - confirmed that since Alves’ conviction, the situation has become “different.”


Alves's financial situation has deteriorated significantly since his arrest, especially with the termination of his contract with the Mexican club Pumas and the cessation of other sources of income, according to his defense.

Alves has been in prison since his arrest in January 2023. His legal team repeatedly requested his release on bail, but the court always rejected the request on the grounds that he might escape. Brazil does not extradite its citizens when they are sentenced in other countries.

In accepting his release on Wednesday, the court ruled that he would have to appear before it every week and respond to “all legal summons” between now and his new trial, the date of which is unknown.

Alves is also prohibited from approaching within one kilometer of the victim’s home or workplace and from contacting her.

Alves assured the judges - in a brief closed session last Tuesday - that he would not flee if he was released (French)

The Public Prosecution and the victim’s lawyer opposed the court’s decision to release Alves on bail, considering that the risk of flight was great.

This decision was also criticized by the President of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who declared that “the money that Dani Alves has (…) cannot buy back the crime of a man against a woman.”

For its part, the Brazilian football team expressed, on Friday, its "solidarity with the victim."

“This sends a message that there is justice for the rich, and even if there is a conviction if you pay bail there will be no criminal consequences,” attorney Garcia told reporters last week.

42 titles

To convince the court of this release, his lawyer, Ines Guardiola, said that the former player had served a quarter of the sentence issued in the court of first instance, noting that the prison sentence of 4 and a half years was much less than the demands of the Public Prosecution, which demanded a period of 9 years. The Public Prosecution announced that it would appeal the ruling to increase the penalty.

Alves assured the judges - in a brief closed session last Tuesday - that he would not flee if he obtained this release, adding that he believes in justice.

Alves won 32 titles with Barcelona between 2008 and 2016 (French)

Alves, who comes from a poor family in Juazeiro, in the Brazilian state of Bahia, initially denied knowing the woman in a television interview. He told La Vanguardia newspaper last June that he had to lie for fear that his wife would leave him.

Alves is considered one of the greatest defenders in the world, as he won 42 titles during his successful career, while the peak of his career with Barcelona was between 2008 and 2016, when he won 23 titles. In June 2022, he signed a contract with the Mexican team Pumas UNAM, which terminated his contract with him shortly after his arrest.

He defended the colors of the Brazilian national team in 126 international matches, after starting his career with them in October 2006. He won the Copa America title twice with the “Samba Dancers” and the Olympic gold in Tokyo in 2021.

In the 2022 Qatar World Cup, at the age of 39 years and 210 days, he became the oldest Brazilian player to participate in the World Cup finals.

Source: Agencies