Dani Alves is said to be going through a difficult time in prison as he waits for the verdict of his rape trial which began earlier this month in Barcelona.
Reports suggest that the Brians 2 prison, where the former Barcelona and Brazil footballer is held, are using “extreme measures” to support Alves.
The trial began with accusations from a woman claiming she was raped by Alves in a nightclub toilet on 30 December 2022. Prosecutors want a nine-year prison sentence for the alleged sexual assault at Barcelona’s Sutton nightclub.
An individual identified only as ‘Coutinho’, who shared a cell with Alves, revealed to Fiesta, as reported by SPORT, that Alves is struggling with his mental health.
‘Coutinho’ is not the footballer Philippe Coutinho, Alves’ former teammate.
“He’s kind of depressed,” ‘Coutinho’ said.
The trial, which heard testimonies from 28 witnesses, including the accuser and Alves’s wife Joana Sanz, happened from 5 February to 7 February.
Alves has consistently claimed his innocence, asking for acquittal or, if convicted, a minimal sentence and compensation for the accuser.
Alves’s defence relies on the argument that the sexual encounter was consensual, a stance he repeated during his final court appearance.
He denied any violent behaviour, stating, “I am not that type of man. I am not a violent man.”
The accuser’s account to prosecutors, however, counters Alves’s claims, alleging that he physically and verbally assaulted her and forcibly engaged in sexual acts against her will.
Pictured above: Dani Alves in court.
Image source: File
