Dani Alves Arrested and Charged with Sexual Assault in Spain

Brazilian soccer player Dani Alves was arrested Friday in Spain after being accused of sexually assaulting a woman. State prosecutors had asked for him to be held without bail, and a judge agreed after charging him with sexual assault following several hours of testimony.

The alleged assault took place on Dec. 31 at a night club in Barcelona, police told The Associated Press. Alves was taken into custody after he answered a police summons. He denied the allegations last week in a video he sent to Spanish television channel Antena 3.

The charge of sexual assault in Spain can mean anything from unsolicited and unwanted sexual groping to rape. The alleged act is being investigated by the police and prosecutors and the case will be heard in court.

Alves is a former Barcelona defender and has played for several clubs in Europe. He has also represented Brazil in international competitions. He is currently a free agent and has not played for any club since the end of the 2019-2020 season.

The case is ongoing and no further details have been released. It is unclear what the outcome of the case will be.