Court again denies Dani Alves’ request to be freed on bail

Former Barcelona player Dani Alves will remain in jail after a Spanish court on Tuesday denied his request to be freed on bail while a sexual assault accusation against the Brazilian is investigated.

The court had already denied a similar request by Alves’ defence team in February, saying he was a flight risk.

The footballer was provisionally detained in January after being accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a nightclub on December 30.

He has denied wrongdoing and said sex with the accuser was consensual.

A judge ordered Alves to be held without bail after analysing the initial inquiry by authorities and hearing evidence from the accused, the alleged victim and witnesses. A trial date has yet to be set.

Alves’ lawyers has filed a 200-page report and videos from security cameras that they said discredited statements by the alleged victim and other witnesses.

The lawyers also reiterated that Alves would accept any court-imposed measures, such as turning in his passports and wearing a tracking device, if freed on bail.

Under Spain’s sexual consent law passed last year, sexual assault takes in a wide array of crimes from online abuse and groping to rape, each with different potential punishments. A rape conviction can result in a maximum sentence of 15 years.

Alves, who turned 40 on Saturday, won 42 football titles, including the Champions League three times with Barcelona and two Copa Americas with Brazil. He played in his third World Cup last year in Qatar.