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Former Barcelona defender Dani Alves is set to receive €11,000 (US$11,900) in compensation for wrongful imprisonment after his sexual assault conviction was overturned.
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Dani Alves during his court appearance in Barcelona in early February 2024. Photo by AFP |
"Alves can request a larger sum, but whether that request is granted is another matter," Judge Jose Antonio Vazquez Tain said on TV channel Telecinco.
It remains unclear whether Alves will pursue a higher compensation but his lawyer, Ines Guardiola, told RAC1: "We know the sentence may not be final. But we are happy and I trust the court. I cannot say anything more."
According to Spanish Judiciary Law, the compensation amount is typically calculated at about €30 ($32.46) per day, based on the number of days spent in custody and the impact on the individual and their family.
Alves, 41, was accused of sexually assaulting a 23-year-old woman at a Barcelona nightclub on Dec. 30, 2022. He was arrested on Jan. 20, 2023, and initially held at Brians 1 prison before being moved to Brians 2, which primarily holds sex offenders. On July 31, 2023, a judge formally charged him with sexual assault.
The Brazilian right-back spent nearly 14 months in custody before his trial. On Feb. 22, 2024, a Barcelona court sentenced him to four years and six months in prison. However, he was released on March 25, 2025, after posting $1.1 million in bail while awaiting the final verdict.
Three days later, on March 28, the High Court of Catalonia overturned the conviction, citing "inconsistencies and contradictions" in the original verdict.
The ruling drew widespread criticism. Irene Montero, former Minister for Equality of Spain and current member of the European Parliament, condemned it as "institutional violence" and "patriarchal justice."
First Deputy Prime Minister Maria Jesus Montero also criticized the decision, calling it "a disgrace", Diari ARA reported.
Criminal lawyer and criminologist Beatriz de Vicente said the court’s decision based on three pieces of objective evidence that contradicted the plaintiff’s account: CCTV footage, biological evidence and fingerprints, according to Marca.
"These elements were inconsistent with the plaintiff’s testimony. An exculpatory hypothesis doesn’t have to be proven, what must be proven is the prosecution’s hypothesis," he explained.
Alves 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.
