Spanish police detained Brazilian legendary defender, Dani Alves on Friday. He was detained after questioning him at a police station in Barcelona over a sexual assault allegation, a spokesperson for the local Mossos d’Esquadra force told Reuters.
Alves, who has denied the allegation, will appear before a judge later on Friday, the spokesperson later added.
It was unclear whether Alves, 39, would remain in police custody after the hearing.
The alleged victim told police that Brazil and former Barcelona football star touched her under her underwear without her approval at a Barcelona nightclub on the night of 30 December.
Accompanied by her friends, the woman reported the incident to the nightclub’s security staff, who then informed the police.
Officers arrived at the scene and took a statement from the woman. She filed an official complaint for sexual assault on 2 January.
Alves told Antena 3 in an interview earlier this month that he was at the club with other people but he repudiated any such behaviour.
“I was dancing and having a good time without invading anyone’s space,” he said. “I don’t know who this lady is...How could I do that to a woman? No.”
Alves, who played for Barcelona from 2008 to 2016 and concisely returned to the Spanish team for the 2021-22 season, presently plays for the Mexican club Pumas UNAM.
He has played for the Brazil national team since 2006, making 126 appearances and scoring eight goals.