Former FC Barcelona player Daniel Alves has been detained since January 20, 2023, as he awaits trial on charges stemming from an alleged sexual assault in a nightclub bathroom. In December 2022, prosecutors in Barcelona requested a nine-year prison sentence as part of the indictment. The case has drawn intense media attention in both Spain and the wider football world, with Alves appearing before the Barcelona Court to address the serious accusations.
The 21st division of the Barcelona Court has scheduled three days of hearings, with the timeline extending through Wednesday as part of the trial process. The proceedings unfolded amid ongoing security measures for Alves, who has remained in custody for the duration of the case. The arrest occurred on the night of December 30, 2022, when the Mossos d’Esquadra detained him at his attorney’s office after a 23-year-old woman reported the incident at a nightclub.
If the parties do not reach a last minute agreement, the hearing will commence at 10:00 a.m. with preliminary issues being addressed. Alves’ defense is expected to request that the defendant be allowed to testify at the end of the proceedings, after the witnesses have been heard and expert reports have been presented.
Should the court grant this request, the proceedings would begin with the victim’s testimony. The testimony would be conducted behind closed doors, with measures such as voice distortion and face pixelation intended to protect the privacy of the complainant and prevent leakage of trial records. Following the victim’s testimony, friends who were with Alves on the night of the incident at Sutton nightclub are expected to testify.
The prosecutor’s office is seeking a nine-year prison term and €150,000 in compensation to be paid to the Brazilian national player. The charges, discussed with the attorney Ester Garcia, have led to a potential increase to 12 years in prison, which would correspond to the maximum penalty for a sexual assault charge under applicable law.
The defense team, led by Inés Guardiola and Miraida Puente Wilson, has argued for acquittal, contending that no rape occurred and that any sexual contact was consensual. If a conviction were considered, the defense would also explore compensation for damages associated with intoxication, while the €150,000 amount would be the amount set by the judge as bail to secure potential compensation to the victim.
The Public Ministry expressed no doubt that Alves participated in a sexual assault described as humiliating and violent, arguing that the incident occurred after the complainant was brought into a private bathroom area. The account described a sequence of events in which the complainant and Alves were invited to drink champagne by him and his group, followed by a night of dancing and conversation that led to the secluded space around 3:20 a.m. and the alleged assault.
According to the prosecution, the complainant’s account is supported by the evidence, including testimonies indicating that Alves invited the woman and her friends to the private area and then engaged in acts that contravene consent. The prosecution argues that she resisted and attempted to disengage, but Alves proceeded with sexual contact without the use of a condom.
Over the course of the trial, 28 witnesses are expected to take the stand, including nightclub staff, a friend who was with Alves that night, and Alves’ wife, Joana Sanz, who has been subject to defense arguments regarding potential intoxication as a factor. In addition to those testimonies, police officers who investigated the case and specialists who prepared biological and psychological reports will be called to provide expert testimony.
In total, around 270 professionals, including 23 foreign reporters, from roughly 70 media outlets attended hearings related to Alves’ case. Although the video and audio of the hearing are not expected to be broadcast publicly, some footage may be shared with the press via an internal circuit, limited to specific moments such as the defendant taking his place in the dock just before the trial begins. Any broader publication of materials is not anticipated as part of the court’s process.