Dani Alves hires Leo Messi’s legal team
Brazilian Dani Alves is being held without bail after his arrest over allegations that he sexually abused a woman in a Barcelona nightclub.
Brazilian footballer Dani Alves remains in custody pending trial for an alleged sexual assault on a young woman at the Sutton nightclub in Barcelona and further details have emerged about what led the judge to detain the Brazilian as the alleged victim recognised a tattoo that Alves has on his body.
The Alves family have responded to the situation by hiring a new lawyer and have secured Martell Abogados to defend the veteran defender. Martell are regarded as one of the most prestigious law firms in Barcelona and are already preparing an appeal to present in court, according to Catalan daily La Vanguardia this morning.
Dani Alves was seen extremely depressed on his first night in prison. He barely ate nor spoke, but was respectful to the staff. He did not recall anyone's phone number from memory, so he did not make a call.
— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) January 21, 2023
— @LaVanguardia pic.twitter.com/S04dTUyAnD
Cristóbal Martell, the founder of the firm is also one of the most reputable criminal lawyers in Catalonia and recently defended Leo Messi, FC Barcelona during the Neymar case, as well as the influential Catalan Puyol family.
Martell has also worked in the defence of former Barcelona president Josep Lluís Núñez, and in well-known corruption cases, such as in the defence of former PP (right-wing Partido Popular) treasurer Álvaro Lapuerta in high profile Gürtel case.
It’s thought that the attorney will try to obtain a provisional release for Alves with a series of precautionary measures such as the surrender of his passport or the deposit of a significant amount of money as bail.
The former Sevilla, Barcelona and Pumas player has already spent a night in Brians 2 prison (Martorell, some 35km from Barcelona) where he was transferred to yesterday and is currently sharing a cell with a ‘trusted prisoner’.