Brazilian football star Daniel Alves went on trial on Monday, a year after he allegedly sexually assaulted a young woman at a Barcelona nightclub. Alves, a former Barcelona player, is accused of sexually assaulting the woman on the night of Dec. 31, 2022.
He denies any wrongdoing.
After arriving in a police van, Alves took a seat in the courtroom dressed in a white dress shirt and a pair of jeans. His mother and brother were also present at the courthouse.
The trial is scheduled to run through to Wednesday at a Barcelona courthouse.
State prosecutors are seeking a nine-year prison sentence for Alves if convicted while the lawyers representing his accuser want 12 years.
Alves, now 40, was arrested on Jan. 20, 2023 after answering a police summons during a visit to Spain.
Alves' requests for bail were denied because the court considered him a flight risk, even though he offered to hand over his passport and wear a tracking device.
Alves has been ordered to set aside 150,000 euros ($162,000) to pay his alleged victim if he is found guilty and ordered to pay damages.
Alves is one of football's most successful players, winning major titles with several elite clubs including Barcelona, Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain. He helped Brazil win two Copa America trophies and an Olympic gold medal.
He had his contract with Mexican club Pumas terminated immediately after his arrest.
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(With AP and PTI inputs)