'I'm not that type of man': Footballer Dani Alves tells court in sexual assault trial

Alves in court

Brazilian football star Dani Alves has denied any wrongdoing in his sexual assault trial, dismissing the allegations he raped a young woman at a Barcelona nightclub. Alves told prosecutors that she 'never told me to stop' and that he's 'not that kind of man’ The Daily Mail reported

Allegedly became violent

The alleged victim told prosecutors that she danced with Alves and willingly entered the bathroom, she soon changed her mind and tried to leave. As she did, Alves became violent, slapped her and forced her to have sex with the footballer, she told the court.

'I am not a violent man'

'I am not that type of man; I am not a violent man,' Alves said after being asked by his defence lawyer if he had forced the women into sex, as reported by The Daily Mail.

'We were both enjoying ourselves'

'She never told me to stop. We were both enjoying ourselves,' Alves told the court.

Three days of testimonies

The trial concluded after three days of testimonies from the victim, witnesses, experts, and Alves' estranged wife Joana Sanz.

Sanz's statement

Sanz told the court that night, December 31, Alves had come home ‘smelling of alcohol’ and collapsed on the bed when he came into the room, according to The Sun.

Devestated

Sanz told the court that while she hasn’t legally filed for divorce, she expressed a desire to end their marriage after the scandal broke.

Possible nine year jail term

The prosecution is pursuing a nine-year prison sentence for Alves and is seeking damages totaling 150,000 euros (£128,480, $163,215 US), according to the Independent. It could take weeks for judges to reach a verdict.

How it all unfolded

Alves is considered to be one of the greatest ever defenders so interest in this case has been ongoing. Let’s take a look back at how it all unfolded.

Turning himself in

The footballer turned himself in at a Barcelona police station in January, following a complaint filed by a woman who claims that she was the victim of an attack by the footballer, the Spanish ABC newspaper reported.

During the Christmas holidays

Alves, who was contracted to Mexican team Club Universidad Nacional, was on Christmas vacation at the time of the alleged incident.

What happened that night?

According to the complainant and reported by ABC, two female friends who were with the alleged victim then alerted security staff who called the police and reported the alleged incident immediately.

Municipal protocol

From there, the Barcelona City Council acted under protocol against attacks and harassment in nightlife spaces that, 20 days later, led to Alves's arrest.

From Mexico to Spain

Alves had to fly from Mexico, where was based at the time, to give a statement and give his version of events, according to ABC. He asked his club for permission to be absent from the game on Saturday 21 January, stating that he was going to Barcelona for his mother-in-law's funeral.

Declaration, arrest and transfer

After attending the police station on Friday, January 20, the footballer left the station but was arrested inside a vehicle outside.

A court order

Dani Alves was brought before a judge and she decided his fate: prison until trial. His team, the Club Universidad Nacional (also known as Pumas) terminated the contract with the soccer player upon learning of his imprisonment.

Alves maintains his innocence

Before his statement to the police and his imprisonment, Alves pleaded his innocence in a video that he sent to the Spanish television program 'Y Ahora Sonsoles': "I'm very sorry, but I don't know who that lady is. I don't know who she is, I've never seen her in my life."

"I have never invaded anyone's space"

In the video, Dani Alves assured: "In all these years I have never invaded someone's personal space, much less without consent, how am I going to do it with a woman or a girl… by God, no," newspaper El País reported.

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