Dani Alves has broken his silence in the Barcelona Court and has categorically denied the rape of a 23-year-old girl during the years at the Sutton nightclub in Barcelona.. “I'm not a violent man, we were enjoying it,” the footballer said after explaining – even simulating his position in court – that the girl fellated him while he was sitting on the toilet.

The Prosecutor's Office maintains the request for 9 years in prison, which the complainant's defense increases to 12, the maximum penalty.

The former footballer, for his part, demands acquittal and his release, although he has proposed as an alternative a sentence of one year in prison – the period he has been in preventive detention – and 50,000 euros in compensation.. The case has been heard for sentencing this Wednesday, February 7, awaiting a sentence that could arrive before Easter.. The Barcelona Court will assess whether to keep the player in provisional prison after his trial and while he awaits sentencing.

According to the story that the Brazilian has given in court, the complainant sat on his legs, at which time there was penetration.. At this point, Alves has also said that he ejaculated out of her vagina by lifting her up himself.

“I'm not that kind of man.”

The former footballer has assured that at no time did the young woman ask him to leave the bathroom and has maintained that the relations were consensual.. He neither grabbed her by the hair nor slapped her, according to his version. “He didn't tell me he wanted to stop.”. “I am not that type of man,” he said after answering only the questions of his lawyer, Inés Guardiola, and breaking down into tears on two occasions.. The interrogation was short, about 10 minutes.

Furthermore, the Brazilian has tried to justify his changes in version with respect to what was argued during the investigation phase: according to him, the version he maintained yesterday is the same as in his second statement; and in the first he only admitted that he had had oral sex with the complainant because he hoped his wife “could forgive him.”

“Honestly, I think that all this battery of versions that has been given is because initially it was considered totally unpunished.”. “He came to the investigative court supremely calm,” criticized prosecutor Elisabeth Jiménez during her final report.

“There was a sexual attraction”

Alves's story about that night of December 30, 2022 began in the Taberna del Clínic, a restaurant near the nightclub.. And he did it there to justify the alleged state of intoxication in which he was that night: he said he had drunk a bottle of wine, whiskey, gin and tonics and several glasses of cava to arrive at Sutton's booth “very drunk,” in his words. .

There, the former footballer has maintained that he began to flirt and dance – to “twerk”, the Brazilian said – with the complainant because there was an “attraction” between them.. «We started dancing a little closer, the complainant and I, and we were there dancing for a while. “She started touching my back, there was a sexual attraction there and I started talking to her about going to the bathroom, and she said yes.”

“At no point did he say anything to me, we were simply enjoying ourselves there and that's it, nothing more,” explained the footballer, who said that, upon leaving the cabin without cameras, he returned to the VIP table and after a few minutes she also left the bathroom.

The prosecutor's report

A story that clashes head-on with the version of the complainant, supported by the prosecutor – “[The victim] could not have been confused, it is impossible,” she stated in her final report – and by two witnesses who testified throughout the hearing.. “[The victim] told me that he had hurt her a lot and that he had run inside” as soon as he left the bathroom, both witnesses said.

The complainant's friend also recalled how she and her cousin encouraged her to file a complaint: “We told her she had to report this. She just said 'they're going to think I'm doing this for money'. I tried to calm her down at all times because she wanted to go home.. 'They're not going to believe me,' he repeated.”

“There was violence and contempt for the victim,” the prosecutor said after dismantling Alves' version with her conclusions.. “It has caught our attention that he has begun to comment that she performed fellatio on him and that he moved away to ejaculate.”. When the defense reminded him of this, it was when he introduced the penetration thing.. This oversight caught my attention.. The change of versions has been striking.

“I knew what I was doing”

Regarding Alves' state of drunkenness that his defense has tried to maintain as a mitigating factor against a possible conviction in this final phase, two psychologists have overturned the strategy before the court. “Alves knew what was happening, he knew what was right and what was wrong,” they admitted.

Despite having been hired by the former soccer player's lawyer as experts, the two psychologists have ended up dismantling their strategy following questions from the prosecutor and the complainant's lawyer.. Specifically, they admitted that they cannot determine the exact amount Alves drank when he was accompanied by several friends; They said that no breathalyzer test was carried out on him, and they even acknowledged that “he knew what he was doing” despite an alleged state of drunkenness:

“Of course he could distinguish good from evil, because he had no alteration of reality”. Also yesterday, several forensic experts from the Hospital Clínic corroborated the victim's “terror” story, as did the Mossos who intervened in the nightclub that night.

The case of Laura Gil (Murcia, 1992) is that of an unlikely legend of Spanish basketball. A center not too tall (192 centimeters), without (apparently) much offensive talent and with a career in which she has had to overcome, in addition to insults and scorn, the two most serious injuries: a cruciate and a broken Achilles. To her the obstacles and the rivals that are a head taller than her. “I enjoy a good defense or a good block,” he boasts.. This week he will exceed 150 international matches, in search of his third Games in the Pre-Olympic Games that Spain is playing in Sopron (against Japan, Canada and Hungary as rivals, three tickets for four), also on the way to his ninth medal, the 17th if those from lower categories are added. And in this too, no one like her.

“I don't brag about it. But let it serve to vindicate my type of game, which doesn't look as good.. I am known for defense, for effort, sacrifice…. “but it also takes a little talent to get where I have, right?” he tells EL MUNDO from the Spanish concentration in Madrid, which has also been joined by the naturalized Megan Gustafson (previously they were Sancho Lyttle, Astou Ndour…), a pivot to help where presumably the team always has fewer arguments. Although that doesn't stop Laura from grating a little: “It is always said that Spain's internal game is with tweezers, but in the end every summer we compete for the top.”. “We will have something.”

Gil studies Psychology and throughout her career she has had to apply it to herself, hard moments from which she always emerged triumphant.. When in the last Tokyo Games Spain was eliminated by France in the quarterfinals, she, unlucky on the field, was the easy target of the networks. “It was hard, because I let all those comments touch me. We are athletes, but we are also people. And there are people who still don't have it very clear. We are the first ones who want to win. I was touched at a time when I was low on confidence and it affected me.. I did a reset. I had to turn off all cell phones and social networks. And the next season I started from scratch,” he admits.

The next wall, this time physical, was not easy either: a year and a half ago he broke his Achilles when his contract with Valencia had already ended.. Laura came to think that this was the end. “When I broke…. Phew, it was a click. I didn't know what I was going to do or where I was going to play or who was going to take my dog out.. The first concern was if I was going to walk again without pain, then run, jump…”, he recalls.. 10 months later, already recovered, she packed her bags and went to France to play. Soon, last summer, he was going to be the protagonist of Spain's silver in the Eurobasket, the first of the Miguel Méndez era.

Third stage in Salamanca

“I have always had a hard time getting my work seen, for many years it has been quite frustrating. I was there year after year, but my type of game was not valued. People who really understand basketball know the importance of good defense, good blocking, and good reading.. The simple fact that now there are girls who are starting to play and tell me that they notice me, regardless of where the lights are, is what matters most to me,” reflects Laura, now in her third stage at Perfumerías Avenida from Salamanca, with which she was European champion in 2011.

«Good weather, good orchard, lemons…. and that we are good people,” he jokes about the success of Murcian sport in recent times, of which he feels part.. The lights and highlights will not dwell too much on her and the rivals in the painting will rarely look at her from below.. But who would want Laura Gil to defend them? “The mentality comes as standard. But in the end the Spanish always wants to win at everything,” he concludes.

The new miracle worker of Athletic is an “authority” of the University of Colorado (USA) and the originator of the groundbreaking Eddy Merckx. Íñigo San Millán, born in 1971 in Vitoria, has completely revolutionized the field of sports physiology. He has played a pivotal role in the resurgence of the Lezama team, which is currently enjoying a magnificent season, securing fifth place in the League, reaching the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, and now preparing to face Atletico de Madrid in tonight’s highly anticipated match at the Metropolitano. From the end of October to January 20, they embarked on an astonishing 14-game unbeaten streak, a feat unparalleled in the last 40 years in Bilbao.

The sudden surge of energy at San Mamés perfectly coincides with the arrival of San Millán to the Performance department. This Basque physiologist and professor at the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Colorado since 2008 was brought on board by the Ibaigane club back in October. “His main role will be to lead the Performance department, which aims to optimize the conditions and athletic performance of the footballers – both in the men’s and women’s first teams, as well as in the development of players in Lezama – in all aspects that exceed the scope of the coaches/trainers’ responsibilities,” explained the officials of the red-and-white entity during his introduction.

Athletic recruited San Millán after witnessing his remarkable achievements in the field of cycling. The Basque physiologist serves as personal trainer to Tadej Pogacar (two-time Tour de France champion) and Juan Ayuso (the most promising rider in the Spanish peloton). He also holds the position of Head of Performance for the UAE cycling team, which boasts an impressive budget, ranking first in the UCI with a stunning 60 million euros.

From Denver to Lezama

This is not the first time Athletic has turned to a cycling specialist for assistance. In 1995, they enlisted the services of Sabino Padilla, Miguel Indurain’s former coach. Padilla also trained marathon runner Martín Fiz. Padilla remained with the Lezama club until 2007, during which time the Biscayan squad achieved a remarkable fifth-place finish in the 1996/97 League (earning them a spot in the UEFA) and secured runner-up status in 1997/98 (qualifying for the Champions League). However, Padilla faced controversy when Carlos Gurpegui tested positive for nandrolone in 2002, and he was blamed for the incident. It should be noted that Padilla and San Millán do not have any professional or academic ties.

In recent years, San Millán has overseen the training of the UAE team from his university department in Denver. However, since October, he has relocated to the Lezama offices, while still keeping a close eye on the training of UAE cyclists.

San Millán, a graduate in Health, Exercise, and Sports Sciences Medicine from Colorado State University, started his sports career as a talented youth player at Real Madrid. However, he soon realized that football was not his calling, and at the age of 16, he made the switch to cycling, where he forged a successful future on the pedals. In Madrid, he joined the Chamartín cycling club, and during his youth and amateur years, he had the opportunity to train alongside many renowned athletes, such as David Plaza, Martín Perdiguero, and Félix García Casas. A lifelong learner, San Millán has collaborated with various sports teams over the past 25 years, including those involved in soccer, cycling, basketball, athletics, rowing, triathlon, swimming, and American football. “I have worked in many sports, and you always learn from each one, incorporating new methodologies. There are methods from cycling that can be applied to football,” stated San Millán upon joining Athletic. He added, “Football has evolved significantly, but we can still delve deeper into understanding internal load, identifying if a player’s performance decline is caused by lactate, fatigue, or glycolytic processes.” Clearly, San Millán is an expert in scientific monitoring of sports performance data.

Matxin’s admiration

“It is truly an honor and privilege for me to work at Athletic, given its historical DNA and the significance it holds for Basque society,” expressed San Millán on October 25 during his presentation on the club’s website. The physiologist, who is currently not permitted to give interviews, has refrained from making any further public statements. He has even declined the opportunity to hold a press conference.

“Íñigo is an authority, incredibly intelligent, and a true luminary in his field,” praised Joxean Fernández Matxin, director of the UAE. The two have been acquainted since before 2004 when they first crossed paths during their time at Saunier Duval. San Millán is also renowned for his pioneering work in the development of new technologies in exercise metabolism, nutrition, sports performance, and diabetes. In addition to Spanish, he is fluent in English, French, and Italian.

The versatile trainer is also highly committed to the fight against cancer. He allocates a portion of his earnings to support his research, which focuses on novel approaches to interfere with cancer metabolism. His laboratory in the US has successfully demonstrated that the lactate produced by cancer cells (different from exercise-induced lactate) acts as a primary regulator of cancer growth, making it a potential therapeutic target. Together with his team, he has conducted two studies that have effectively blocked two key enzymes in cancer metabolism, resulting in the halting of cell growth and cell death within 24-48 hours. Although the latest study has yet to be published, further animal testing is required to advance the research, but San Millán laments the lack of funds to continue his investigations. Overall, San Millán is a highly distinguished researcher with a illustrious track record.

The case of Laura Gil (Murcia, 1992) is that of an unlikely legend of Spanish basketball. A center not too tall (192 centimeters), without (apparently) much offensive talent and with a career in which she has had to overcome, in addition to insults and scorn, the two most serious injuries: a cruciate and a broken Achilles. To her the obstacles and the rivals that are a head taller than her. “I enjoy a good defense or a good block,” he boasts.. This week he will exceed 150 international matches, in search of his third Games in the Pre-Olympic Games that Spain is playing in Sopron (against Japan, Canada and Hungary as rivals, three tickets for four), also on the way to his ninth medal, the 17th if those from lower categories are added. And in this too, no one like her.

“I don't brag about it. But let it serve to vindicate my type of game, which doesn't look as good.. I am known for defense, for effort, sacrifice…. “but it also takes a little talent to get where I've gotten, right?” he tells EL MUNDO from the Spanish concentration in Madrid, which has also been joined by the naturalized Megan Gustafson (previously they were Sancho Lyttle, Astou Ndour…), a pivot to help where presumably the team always has fewer arguments. Although that doesn't stop Laura from grating a little: “It is always said that Spain's internal game is with tweezers, but in the end every summer we compete for the top.”. “We will have something.”

Gil studies Psychology and throughout her career she has had to apply it to herself, hard moments from which she always emerged triumphant.. When in the last Tokyo Games Spain was eliminated by France in the quarterfinals, she, unlucky on the field, was the easy target of the networks. “It was hard, because I let all those comments touch me. We are athletes, but we are also people. And there are people who still don't have it very clear. We are the first ones who want to win. I was touched at a time when I was low on confidence and it affected me.. I did a reset. I had to turn off all cell phones and social networks. And the next season I started from scratch,” he admits.

The next wall was not easy either, this time physical: a year and a half ago he broke his Achilles when his contract with Valencia had already ended.. Laura came to think that this was the end. “When I broke…. Phew, it was a click. I didn't know what I was going to do or where I was going to play or who was going to take my dog out.. The first concern was if I was going to walk again without pain, then run, jump…”, he recalls.. 10 months later, already recovered, she packed her bags and went to France to play. Soon, last summer, he was going to be the protagonist of Spain's silver in the Eurobasket, the first of the Miguel Méndez era.

Third stage in Salamanca

“I have always had a hard time getting my work seen, for many years it has been quite frustrating. I was there year after year, but my type of game was not valued. People who really understand basketball know the importance of good defense, good blocking, and good reading.. The simple fact that now there are girls who are starting to play and tell me that they notice me, regardless of where the lights are, is what matters most to me,” reflects Laura, now in her third stage at Perfumerías Avenida from Salamanca, with which she was European champion in 2011.

«Good weather, good orchard, lemons…. and that we are good people,” he jokes about the success of Murcian sport in recent times, of which he feels part.. The lights and highlights will not dwell too much on her and the rivals in the painting will rarely look at her from below.. But who would want Laura Gil to defend them? “The mentality comes as standard. But in the end the Spanish always wants to win at everything,” he concludes.

Diego Simeone emphasized the importance of having players with a unique essence in Atlético de Madrid. While Antoine Griezmann, Álvaro Morata, and Koke are key figures, the Argentine coach singled out Marcos Llorente as someone he admires and considers crucial for the team. Llorente’s versatility is highly valued by Simeone, who jokingly remarked that the Spanish player could even excel as a forward.

Llorente has been a significant contributor this season, with 32 appearances and 21 starts, amassing a total of 2,030 minutes of play. He has notched five assists and four goals, including a crucial late equalizer against Real Madrid. His adaptability and participation in important matches, including derbies, showcase his value to the team.

Defense against Vinicius Jr. has become one of Llorente’s primary responsibilities in derbies. Recognized as one of the fastest players in La Liga, he consistently showcases his speed on the pitch. In upcoming fixtures against the Williams brothers, Llorente’s agile and strong physique will be crucial in neutralizing their threat.

Llorente’s physical attributes are highly regarded by his teammates and the coaching staff. He maintains his physique through diligent training and coordination with the team’s physical trainers. In just five seasons, Llorente has become a respected figure in the locker room, known for creating a positive atmosphere.

With Real Madrid and FC Barcelona eliminated from the competition, Atlético de Madrid sees the Copa del Rey as a significant opportunity to secure a title this season. Their last victory in the competition came in 2012/13, defeating Real Madrid at the Bernabéu.