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Dani Alves arrested by Spanish police after ‘sexually assaulting woman in nightclub.’
Brazil star Dani Alves has been arrested this morning after being accused of sexually assaulting a woman in a nightclub in Barcelona.
The football player was detained by Spanish police after being interrogated in response to the woman’s legal allegation.
The former Barcelona defender was brought to a police station in the Les Corts neighbourhood to provide a statement.
The football player, who is currently playing for Mexican team UNAM Pumas, acknowledged being present at the storied downtown nightclub Sutton on December 30, the alleged date of the sex crime.
But he protested his innocence in a Spanish TV interview after a court confirmed it had opened a formal investigation, insisting: “I don’t know who this lady is.
“I don’t know her name, I don’t know her, I’ve never seen her in my life.”
The 39-year-old, who became the oldest Brazilian to play in a FIFA World Cup last month, had arranged his police interview through lawyers, local media reported.
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The reports also said he would be arrested and fingerprinted as part of a routine procedure before being questioned and taken to the court probing the alleged sexual assault for a further quiz.
A spokesman for the regional Mossos D’Esquadra confirmed: “A man accused of an indecent assault at a nightclub in Barcelona late last year has been arrested.
“He has now been taken to court after making a statement to police. It will be up to the court now to decide what measures to take.”
A court official confirmed ten days ago: “Barcelona Court of Instruction Number 15 has opened proceedings over an alleged crime of sexual assault following a complaint filed by a woman against a footballer.
A spokesman for the investigating magistrate confirmed on Thursday the footballer, who it has not named, and the woman have not yet been questioned in court.
Earlier this month, Barcelona-based news site El Taquigrafo claimed it had CCTV footage showing Alves had been alone for 47 seconds in a toilet at the nightclub with the woman who accused him of sexually assaulting her.
The video was published by eltaquigrafo.com two days after the first reports of an alleged sex assault allegedly involving Alves appeared in respected Spanish daily ABC.