Dani Alves’ conviction of rape on appeal has been overturned by a Spanish court. The decision comes after Alves, who played for Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, was found guilty in February 2024 of raping a woman at a Barcelona nightclub.

Alves, who has always denied any wrongdoing, was initially handed a four-and-a-half year prison sentence which has now been overturned. The top court in Spain's Catalonia region ruled that there had been some "inconsistencies and contradictions" in the original case.

As a result, Alves has since had the conviction for the offence that was alleged to have originally taken place in 2022 overturned. Alves had already been released from prison on a £832,000 (€1million) bail pending the result of his appeal.

The former footballer is now able to leave Spain, as the previously imposed travel restrictions prevented him from leaving the country.

Brazil - Alves' home nation - doesn't extradite citizens sentenced in foreign countries with the 41-year-old having been deemed a flight risk as a result. The latest decision can still be appealed by before Spain's Supreme Court.

Alves' case had drawn nationwide attention in Spain, with the state prosecutors having been seeking a nine-year sentence, while the victim's lawyers had sought a 12-year sentence. His defence team had been pushing for his acquittal, or, if found guilty, a one-year sentence, alongside £43,000 (€50,000) compensation for the victim.

In Spain, a rape claim is treated as a general accusation of sexual assault, and convictions can lead to prison sentences of four to 15 years. Spanish legislation was passed in October 2022 to make consent central in sexual assault cases, in a bid to define all non-consensual acts as rape. It emphasises the importance of consent under the so-called "only yes is yes" principle.

Alves enjoyed a glittering career as a football, playing over 400 times for Barcelona, where he won two Champions League titles. He competed in three World Cups with Brazil, including in 2022 when he was aged 39.