FC Barcelona legend Dani Alves has been acquitted of sexual assault charges by Catalonia's High Court. The former Brazil international, who spent 14 months in prison before posting €1 million bail in March 2023, saw his 4.5-year sentence unanimously overturned today.

The court's statement confirmed it had "granted the appeal of the footballer convicted of sexual crimes against a young woman at a Barcelona nightclub in December 2022." This landmark decision comes just 18 months after the initial verdict sent shockwaves through global football.

Alves, 40, remains one of the most decorated players in history with 43 trophies including three Champions League titles with Barcelona and two Copa América wins with Brazil. His legal team had consistently argued procedural violations during the original trial.