00:00In the world of football, Danny Harvest was a legend, Barcelona's dazzling right-back, a star for Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain, with an astonishing 43 major trophies, more than any player in history.
00:16But in the year 2023, his life unraveled in a Barcelona courtroom, sparking a Ligue 1 saga that gripped the globe.
00:25December 30, 2022, a night at Sulton Nightclub in Barcelona changed everything.
00:35A woman accused Alves of sexual assault in a bathroom, alleging rape and coercion, backed by DNA evidence and a knee injury.
00:45CCTV showed them entering together after dancing, appearing friendly.
00:52Alves claimed consent, but the allegations landed him in jail without bail by January 20, 2023.
01:01Charged under Spain's new Only Yes Means Yes law, Alves faced a high-stake trial in February 2024.
01:09The accuser testified to feeling trapped.
01:14Alves insisted any encounter was consensual.
01:18Prosecutors demanded 12 years.
01:20The defense pointed to inconsistencies.
01:23On February 22, the verdict.
01:27Guilty.
01:28Four and a half years in prison.
01:31150,000 euros in damages.
01:34And a shattered reputation.
01:36Alves lost sponsors, his marriage to model Johan Sanz, and his contract with Puma's UNEM.
01:45Barcelona even briefly erased him from their legend list.
01:49But the fight wasn't over.
01:52After 14 months behind bars, he posted 1 million euro bail, partly funded by allies like Neymar's family, and worked free in March 2024.
02:02Passports surrendered, appeal pending, then a bombshell.
02:09On March 28, 2025, Catalonia Superior Court overturned the verdict, citing gaps and contradictions in the evidence.
02:19CCTV clashing with accusers' account.
02:22The acquitted Alves lifting all restrictions.
02:25Supporters called it justice.
02:28Critics, like Spain's former equality minister, branded it patriarchy.
02:34The prosecution appealed to the Supreme Court as of September 2025.
02:40The case lingers unresolved.
02:43Meanwhile, a separate battle unfolded.
02:47Puma's UNEM, Alves' former club, terminated his contract after his arrest on September 1, 2025.
02:56The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled against him, ordering Alves to pay up to $5 million for breach of contract.
03:06A bitter financial blow.
03:09From football icon with 43 trophies to legal lightning rod, Danny Alves' story is a stark reminder of fame's fragility.
03:19Free for now, but with a Supreme Court ruling looming and a hefty fine to pay, his future remains uncertain.
03:28In a case that tested Spain's laws and sparked fierce debate, one question lingers.
03:36What does justice look like?
03:39This is the Danny Alves' legal story.
03:42A tale of triumph, scandal, and redemption still waiting for its final chapter.
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