The upcoming hearing in Barcelona Court involving former FC Barcelona player Dani Alves is drawing intense attention. The prosecutor has requested that the three hearings scheduled for February 5, 6, and 7 be conducted behind closed doors. In this arrangement, only the court, the Justice Administration attorney, the prosecutor, the special prosecutor, and Alves’s defense would be present, shielding the public and media from attendance.
This approach aims to protect the identity and personal details of the person involved, ensuring that sensitive information cannot be exposed through the proceedings. The special prosecutor representing the victim supports keeping the sessions private, while Alves’s lawyers have not objected to these privacy measures. A formal decision from the court is expected within a few days.
There is no doubt the case has generated significant anticipation in the media. It is anticipated that around 22 witnesses will testify, along with Alves himself, during the three hearings. Experts are expected to present medical reports detailing the alleged harm to the victim and the potential psychological impact. Visual evidence captured near the nightclub and by law enforcement officers who responded to the incident will also be reviewed.
The Barcelona Prosecutor’s Office seeks a nine-year prison sentence for sexual assault by penetration on the night of December 30 to 31, 2022 at the Sutton nightclub. The request also includes ten years of probation and 150,000 euros in compensation for the 23-year-old complainant. This figure was recorded in court documents.
One year in prison
As a result, Alves has remained in temporary prison for more than a year. The Barcelona Court has twice approved release attempts by his lawyers. The prosecution contends that the accused attacked the victim and raped her in a nightclub restroom, with additional claims of aggression to satisfy personal desires. The defense disputes these interpretations.
When leaving the nightclub after the alleged incident, the victim reportedly cried and confided in a friend. A doorman at the venue activated the rape and sexual abuse protocol, prompting police involvement and medical examination for the victim at a health center. Forensic teams were able to collect semen samples from a sink and later confirmed they originated from Alves. Alves has consistently claimed that any relations were consensual, asserting intoxication and a lack of memory about the events. There was an attempted informal agreement to admit the facts in exchange for a reduced sentence, but that arrangement did not proceed.
A few weeks earlier, the victim’s attorney stated that discussions with the defendant’s counsel had occurred in confidence at Alves’s request, though no agreement could be reached. The two sides held firm positions, framing the matter as extremely serious and subject to severe penalties.
According to reports from local media, Alves’s lawyers explored the possibility of paying a substantial sum in compensation. The victim’s attorney, however, emphasized that moral damages and consequences of any crime affecting sexual freedom cannot be resolved through money alone, making a purely financial settlement unlikely if it is the sole term. Given the difficulty of reaching any agreement, the parties will decide next week whether the hearings in Barcelona will proceed behind closed doors.