Dani Alves' ex-wife Joana Sanz looks defiant in selfie posted MINUTES after former Barcelona star found guilty of rape

Posted Friday, February 23, 2024 by Thesun.co.uk

DANI Alves' estranged wife Joana Sanz posted a glowing selfie just minutes after the former footballer was found guilty of rape.

The Spanish model appeared unfazed in the snap she uploaded on her Instagram story - just a few minutes after the sentence of her ex-husband was announced.

Sanz, who is in Maspalomas, Gran Canaria for an advertisement shoot, according to El Español, posted a series of snaps on Instagram.

In one of them she shared a photo of herself holding a coffee as she is surrounded by makeup tools.

The model testified in court earlier this month that her ex-husband "smelled of alcohol" and "he bumped into several pieces of furniture and collapsed on the bed" when he arrived home the night of December 30.

This morning the ex-Barcelona star, 40, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for raping a woman in the toilets of the nightclub Sutton in Barcelona.

He was also ordered to pay the victim £130,000 (150,000 euros) and to stay away from her for nine-and-a-half years.

The court said in a statement: "The sentence considers that it has been proven that the victim did not consent and that there is evidence, in addition to the testimony of the plaintiff, to consider the rape proven."

State prosecutors were seeking nine years while the lawyers representing Alves's accuser wanted 12 years.

Alves, who has been held in pre-trial detention since his arrest last year, was then transferred back to Brians 2 prison.

Speaking outside the court, Alves's lawyer Inés Guardiola said they were planning to appeal the sentence.

She told reporters:" Four and a half years is much better than 9 and 12 that the accusation requested, but we are going to appeal because I still believe in Mr. Alves' innocence.

"We are going to review the sentence, but I can tell you that we are going to appeal.

"We continue to believe in the innocence of Mr. Alves. He already knows the sentence and is whole.

"We will defend his innocence to the end."

Alves had appeared before court two weeks ago and denied the allegations insisting the encounter had been consensual.

He denied any wrongdoing, telling his defence lawyer that he is "not that type of man".

The three-day trial at Barcelona’s Audiencia Provincial Court saw the victim, witnesses and experts testifying.

His accuser told the prosecution that she had willingly entered the bathroom with him, but that he forced her to stay after she wanted to leave.

During the first day of the footballer's trial, a friend and cousin of his accuser claimed he also groped them in the VIP area.

The two women claim he then invited their friend, the alleged rape victim, to follow him through a separate door after flirting with her.

The dad-of-two has made repeated bail requests but they have all been turned down, with judges saying his alleged victim’s version of events was coherent and pointing out Alves had changed his story several times as the evidence authorities have against him has emerged.

He was sacked by Mexican side UNAM Pumas following his arrest after he flew back to Barcelona to attend his mother-in-law’s funeral.

As well as two spells at Barcelona, Alves has played for Seville, Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and Sao Paulo.