Dani Alves has been sentenced to four years and six months in jail for sexual assault after over a yeal trail in Spain.

The defender was charged early last year after a young woman opened a case accusing him of touching her inappropriately under her clothes without consent during a night out on 30 December 2022.

The woman said she told security what had happened, and local police were informed and took witness statements.

An investigation was opened leading to the Brazilian defender’s arrest in Barcelona.

The 40-year-old, who is one of the most decorated footballers in history, had denied sexually assaulting the woman and was denied bail.

Alves’s sentence is barely more than the minimum of four years and because he has completed a quarter of his sentence on remand, he could soon be released on licence.

His lawyer, Inés Guardiola, has said they will appeal.