A Spanish court has decided to grant conditional release to former Barcelona and Brazil footballer Dani Alves, who was serving a four and a half-year prison sentence for rape. 

Alves, 40, will be released on a €1 million bail after spending approximately one-quarter of his sentence behind bars since January 2023.

The court’s decision comes after Alves was found guilty of raping a woman in a Barcelona nightclub in December 2022. The victim’s lawyer has criticized the ruling, describing it as “a scandal.”

As part of the conditions for his release, Alves will surrender both his Brazilian and Spanish passports, preventing him from leaving Spain. He will also be required to appear before the court weekly and is subject to a restraining order, prohibiting him from contacting the victim.

Alves’ lawyer had requested his release, citing the time he had already served in pre-trial detention. The court considered this request, leading to the decision to grant conditional release pending appeal.