Ex-Barcelona star Dani Alves and model wife expecting baby after sexual assault case acquitted

Dani Alves and his wife Joana Sanz. Photo by Instagram/@joanasanz

In an emotional Instagram post on March 31, Sanz shared an ultrasound image with nearly one million of her followers and talked about her difficult journey, marked by three miscarriages and the emotional toll of invasive fertility treatments.

"I was very scared of becoming a mother," the 32-year-old model wrote. "I feared the responsibility of raising another human being. I feared losing my career and myself."

She revealed that despite being a healthy 27-year-old, she had to undergo two IVF cycles, three miscarriages and a fallopian tube removal due to endometriosis.

Sanz also reflected on the loss of her mother two years ago, describing the loneliness of having no close family around her.

"The last frozen embryo was my last hope and now this baby is healthy and growing every day," she added.

She ended her post with a message of perseverance: "Great things will come, don’t give up."

Sanz and Alves began dating in 2015 and married in Ibiza in July 2017. Their relationship was tested in January 2023, when Alves was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a 23-year-old woman at a Barcelona nightclub.

While Alves remained in custody, Sanz filed for divorce. However, when she appeared in court as a witness, she said that the divorce was "not official."

Alves was sentenced to four years and six months in prison by a Barcelona court in February 2024. A month later, he was released on $1.1 million bail while awaiting a final verdict. On March 28, 2025, the High Court of Catalonia overturned the conviction, citing "inconsistencies and contradictions" in the original case, despite public outrage.

The couple has reconciled since last year. Alves posted affectionate photos with Sanz on social media, and the two were seen holding hands in public in April 2024. They currently reside in a $5.4 million villa in Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona.

Alves, 41, is regarded as one of the best full-backs of all time and also one of the most decorated players with 42 trophies, having played for major European clubs like Barcelona, Juventus and PSG.