Mueez Ajao
– Former Barcelona and Brazil defender Dani Alves is under investigation over an allegation that he sexually assaulted a woman in a nightclub in Spain last month, Catalonia’s Supreme Court said on Tuesday.
– Alves denies any wrongdoing.
– The court in Barcelona said in a statement it had opened proceedings “for an alleged crime of sexual assault as a result of the complaint filed by a woman for events that allegedly occurred in a nightclub in Barcelona last month.”
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– The statement did not specifically name Alves but a court spokeswoman confirmed to Reuters that he was the subject of the complaint. She said the case was under investigation but the court had no more information.
– Spanish media had reported that a woman had accused Alves of touching her beneath her underwear without her consent when she was with friends at a nightclub in late December 2022.
– A spokesperson for Alves, asked by Reuters for comment, said the player “vehemently denies” all allegations. Alves is in Mexico playing for Pumas UNAM.
– Alves told Antena 3 in an interview last week that he was at the club with other people but he denied any such behaviour.
– “I was dancing and having a good time without invading anyone’s space,” he said. “I don’t know who this lady is … How could I do that to a woman? No.”
– Full-back Alves became the oldest Brazilian to play in a World Cup match when he captained the team against Cameroon in Qatar earlier in December.
– He also holds the record for most career trophies with 43, counting club and international competitions.
