Dani Alves' model WAG 'splits with sex attack accused star' in heartbreaking letter

Joana Sanz published a handwritten letter after visiting the Brazil and Barcelona legend in prison, where he is being held over an alleged nightclub sex attack in Spain

Posted Friday, March 17, 2023 by Dailystar.co.uk

Dani Alves' model wife has appeared to confirm her split with the imprisoned footballer in a heart-wrenching letter.

Joana Sanz published the handwritten letter on social media, 48 hours after it emerged she had visited the Brazilian international in jail for a second time since his arrest over sex assault allegations nearly two months ago. The Tenerife-born beauty saw Alves, 39, on February 5 in her first visit since he was remanded to Brians 2 Prison near Barcelona shortly after a Spanish TV journalist claimed she had asked him for a divorce.

Joana, 29, rubbished some of the claims made by Telecinco TV reporter Leticia Requejo in Instagram posts at the time, but stayed silent on the divorce issue. But she left her social media followers in no doubt she was planning to call time on her relationship with Alves with her two-page diary-style letter on Wednesday.

The brunette beauty headed the letter - written in her native Spanish - "In my own handwriting", and said: "I would love for the lines written here to be about love and happiness, but it is not the case. These have been horrible months, not the hardest of my life, because I have faced many storms, but very dark and painful.

"The feeling of abandonment and loneliness knocks on my door again. Thousands of 'why's' with no answer. I chose as a life partner a person who in my eyes was perfect. He was always there when I needed him the most, he always supported me in everything, he always pushed me to grow, always affectionate, attentive... It's so hard for me to accept that this person could break me into a thousand pieces.

"I think it's going to take me years to erase from my memory his way of looking at me, that way he had of looking at me as if I were the most incredible thing in the world and damn, yes, I'm incredible."

She went on: "I am incredible because I am hardworking, independent, intelligent, thoughtful, affectionate, funny, faithful and humane, and so human that despite the damage he has caused me, I am still here by his side.

"I continue and will continue to be, but in another way. I love him and I will always love him. Whoever says you forget love is either deceiving themselves or did not truly love. But I love myself, I respect myself and I value myself much more.

"Forgiving alleviates, so I keep the magic and close a stage of my life that began on 18/5/15. I give thanks for the opportunities and learning that life gives me, no matter how difficult they are. Here is a strong woman moving on to the next stage of her life."

Her emotional outpouring was taken in Spain as a clear sign she has decided to end her relationship with Alves, although she didn't name him in the letter or mention the word divorce. Joana spoke out nearly a month after Alves lost his fight for bail ahead of his expected formal indictment over the alleged Barcelona nightclub sex assault late last December.

Ester Garcia, the lawyer acting for the 23-year-old woman who claims the footballer sexually assaulted her in a toilet at iconic nightclub Sutton, argued he had the money to flee to his homeland on a private plane if he was freed from prison and pointed out Brazil does not extradite citizens sentenced abroad.

The former Barcelona defender was arrested in January after flying back to Spain from Mexico following the death of Joana Sanz's mum. He moved to Mexico last summer to continue his football career but was sacked by his club UNAM Pumas following his arrest.

Alves claimed in a TV interview before his detention he had never met his female accuser but ended up changing his story after being held. Alves is now admitting he cheated on his wife with his accuser but insisting it was consensual and there was no sexual assault.

Court officials have confirmed Alves is under investigation on suspicion of sexually assaulting a woman, but have not confirmed the exact nature of the allegations against him. If he had been granted bail, Alves would have swapped the small cell at Brians 2 Prison, which has been his home for almost two months for a mansion in Esplugues de Llobregat near Barcelona, which he owns with his wife.

His ex-wife Dinorah Santana, the mother of his two children, has repeatedly said she is standing by him and insisted he would never commit the crime he was arrested for.

Joana met Alves through friends and they married in Formentera off Ibiza in 2017. She showed her support for the footballer last December in Qatar when he became the oldest player to represent Brazil at the World Cup.

The stunning Spaniard shared a selfie in the stands at the Lusail Stadium in a Dani Alves Brazil shirt bearing his number and name. She also shared a screen grab with some of the saucy WhatsApp messages the right-back had exchanged with her during the tournament.

As well as two spells at Barcelona, Alves has played for Seville, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and Sao Paulo. He is widely considered as one of the greatest full-backs of all time.