La Liga giants Barcelona have withdrawn former defender Dani Alves’ status as a club legend following his conviction for sexual assault. This is as per reports from Spanish outlet SPORT.
FC Barcelona stripped Dani Alves of his legendary status
The Brazilian was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison following the assault on the victim in a nightclub in Barcelona in 2022. The verdict was delivered earlier this month, throwing Alves’ legacy as a player into question.
The Catalans were initially siding with Dani Alves during the investigation of the case matters, maintaining his innocence. However, the club’s change in stance comes after a verdict from a Spanish jury that found Alves guilty.
Barcelona include only the best of the best in their list of legendary players. So far, only 102 players have been added to the list. Dani Alves’ former teammates Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Gerard Pique were the latest inductees. However, in a strong and admirable stance, they have removed Alves from the bracket of greats.
Dani Alves’ career at Barcelona
Dani Alves joined Barcelona from Sevilla in 2008 for a fee rising up to ÂŁ7 million. He made 408 appearances for the Catalans, scoring 22 goals and providing a remarkable 105 assists. The Brazilian won 23 titles with the club during his nine years with the club over two stints. That included three UEFA Champions League titles, six La Liga titles and three Club World Cups.
Alves’ career saw a natural decline between 2016-21, after he left the Catalans. He had short stints with Juventus, Paris Saint-Germain and his native Sau Paulo. After that, he made an emotional return to Barca for a season, before moving to Club Universidad Nacional in Liga MX.
Once considered an all-timer, these developments in recent years have severely tarnished Dani Alves’ reputation. The 40-year-old has now lost his legendary status at the club where he first rose to international prominence as a footballer.
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