Brazilian international Dani Alves has been denied bail and will remain in prison as an investigation over an alleged sexual assault continues, a Spanish court ruled on Tuesday.
Alves’s legal team had presented an appeal on Jan. 30 for the former Barcelona player to be released from pre-trial detention after he was jailed on remand on Jan. 20.
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However, the judge on the case deemed that Alves is a potential flight risk due to his financial means and the fact he has Brazilian nationality — Brazil does not have extradition agreements with Spain.
Alves, 39, is accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a nightclub in Barcelona on Dec. 30.
The initial investigation was launched at the start of January, but it was not until the judge heard statements from Alves and the young woman on Jan. 20 that he was held.
When basing her decision, the judge took into account the biological results carried out on the alleged victim, the surveillance cameras at the nightclub as well as the contradictory statements given by Alves.
Alves, who has denied any wrongdoing, had returned to Spain from Mexico, where he was playing for Pumas UNAM, although they have since terminated his contract with the club.
The investigation continues and there is no date set for a trial.
Alves, who has also played for Sevilla, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain in Europe, was a key part of Barca’s golden years, playing on the team’s right flank with Lionel Messi between 2008 and 2016.
He won the Champions League three times with the Catalan club, who he briefly rejoined last season before playing at the World Cup with Brazil in Qatar.
