- Dani Alves, the former Barcelona and Brazil international defender, has been confirmed to be alive, dispelling rumors of his alleged suicide
- Rumour of Alves’ death reportedly started with @Al_buquerq profile on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, March 9
- Alves’ media team contacted his lawyer to confirm the authentication of the news, but the former defender was said to still be in the prison
The report that the former Barcelona star and Brazil international, Dani Alves, took his life has been refuted by his representatives after talking to a lawyer, according to Brazilian journalist Marcelo Bechler.
Telecomasia reported that another Brazilian journalist, Paulo Albuquerque, was the first to report the news of Alves’ alleged death.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Source: Getty Images
How Dani Alves was sent to jail
The Brazil international was recently accused of raping a woman 23 years old at a nightclub Sutton in Barcelona. He was subsequently sentenced to four and a half years in prison.
He was also asked to pay €150 thousand as moral compensation. The lawyer of the woman had accused the footballer of rape and demanded that he should be imprisoned for 12 years.
The former Barcelona defender subsequently agreed to the plea bargain with the investigation in the rape case.
How Dani Alves’ rumoured death started
According to Azscore, the rumour of Alves’ death was spread on social media by @Al_buquerq profile. But the media confirmed that the former football player was still in prison in Spain since he was sentenced.
Following the social media attention the news has generated, the press office of the former defender contacted Alves’ lawyer, who confirmed that the news was false.
Who is Dani Alves?
Alves was one of the most decorated footballers in the world. He played for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain during his hay days.
The 40-year-old went on trial in February for allegedly raping a woman in a nightclub in the early hour of December 31, 2022.
His accuser had testified behind a scene for the protection of her identity. She accused Alves of violating her rights by violently forcing her to have sex in a private bathroom at the private nightclub even when she begged him, causing her anguish and terror.
UEFA changes Champions League format
In another development, Legit.ng reported that the UEFA executive committee has announced a change in the Champions League format starting from the 2024/25 season.
According to the new format, there will no longer be a group stage; instead, there will be a league phase in which clubs are required to play eight matches.
Unlike the former format, where 32 teams were divided into eight groups, the league phase in the new format constituted 36 teams.
Source: Legit.ng
