The Brazilian football star Dani Alves has apparently changed his defense strategy while in custody on suspicion of rape.
At the beginning of the week, the 39-year-old testified at his own request before the investigating judge in Barcelona and, in his brief statement, admitted a sexual relationship with the alleged victim by mutual consent.
In his statements in previous interrogations in the process that has been running since the beginning of the year, the former star of FC Barcelona and Paris St. Germain had repeatedly involved himself in contradictions. In particular, however, Alves had always claimed not to know the woman allegedly affected by his assaults.
The defender is said to have grabbed a woman in a nightclub in Barcelona in the private parts at the end of December. Qatar’s World Cup participant has been in custody in the Brians prison complex, about 40 kilometers north-west of Barcelona, since January 20. His Mexican club Pumas UNAM had terminated the contract with the South American veteran shortly after the allegations against Alves were published.
Observers are still puzzling over Alves’ reasons for his change of strategy. On the one hand, Barca’s highly decorated ex-star could try to get a release from prison until a criminal trial in the next attempt. On the other hand, it cannot be ruled out that the lawyers of the three-time Champions League winner are already speculating on the lowest possible sentence for their prominent client.
