BARCELONA, Spain (AP) – Brazilian soccer player Dani Alves was arrested on Friday after being accused of sexually assaulting a woman in Spain, and a judge later refused bail for the former Barcelona defender.
The alleged attack took place at a nightclub in Barcelona on December 31, police told The Associated Press.
Alves was taken into custody after responding to a police summons. Prosecutors had requested that he be held without bail, and a judge agreed after charging him with sexual assault after several hours of testimony.
A sexual assault charge in Spain can mean anything from unsolicited and unwanted sexual advances to rape. Police said they could not provide details about the case.
Alves denied the allegations in a video he sent to Spanish TV channel Antena 3 last week. While admitting he went dancing at the club the night of the alleged attack, he said he didn’t know the woman, adding, “I’ve never invaded anyone’s personal space.”
Alves, 39, is one of football’s most accomplished players, having won major titles for Brazil and several elite clubs including Barcelona, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain in his long career.
He currently plays for Mexican club Pumas.
Known for his creative play on the pitch and his sharp wit and love of fashion, Alves has been one of football’s most charismatic figures for more than a decade.
The defender played a key role in Barcelona’s golden years, playing on the right side of the team behind Lionel Messi between 2008-16. He won the Champions League three times with the Catalan club, who he briefly returned to last season. He also helped Brazil win two Copa America trophies and an Olympic gold medal at the age of 38.
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