Former FC Barcelona legend Dani Alves has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman in December 2022. The Brazilian, who played a total of 408 games for the Catalan club over 8 and a half seasons, is no longer considered a part of the team’s history.
Following the news of Alves’ sentence, FC Barcelona decided to remove his player profile from their website, where he was previously listed as one of the 102 great references in the club’s history. Instead, new additions such as Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, and Gerard Piqué have been highlighted.
During his time at Barcelona, Alves achieved great success, winning six La Liga titles, three Champions Leagues, and several other trophies. After leaving the club in 2022 and a brief stint at São Paulo, he returned to Barcelona for six months before joining UNAM Pumas. It was during his time with the Mexican team that the assault occurred, leading to his imprisonment in January 2023.
In response to the sentence, Alves’ lawyer, Inés Guardiola, has announced plans to appeal the decision in order to “defend innocence until the end.” Guardiola expressed belief in Alves’ innocence and stated that she will meet with him to discuss the next steps in the legal process.