Former Barcelona player Dani Alves officially indicted by Spanish judge

Dani Alves has been officially indicted by a Spanish judge after being jailed for alleged sexual assault in January.

The former Brazil defender was arrested following an allegation he assaulted a woman in a Barcelona nightclub in December.

Indicting the 40-year-old, the judge stated she had found evidence of wrongdoing by the former Barcelona right-back.

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Alves, who won 126 caps for Brazil, has been in a prison without bail with requests to be released rejected. He has however claimed he had consensual sex with his accuser.

His lawyer said the player would not slow down the process by appealing against the indictment.

“Alves is upset with the narrative of the facts. He disagrees with it,” his lawyer Cristobal Martell told reporters.

Under Spanish law, a rape accusation is investigated under the general accusation of sexual assault. Convictions can lead to prison sentences of four to 15 years.

The prosecution must now submit formal charges to the court, following which a date will be set for a trial.

Dani Alves’ most recent club, Mexican side Pumas UNAM, terminated his contract with immediate effect in January even before he was indicted.