Dani Alves' ex-wife celebrates his return to Barcelona's legendary players list having revoked his status after he was found guilty of rape and sentenced to four and a half years behind bars
- Dani Alves was sentenced to four years and six months in prison for rape
- His ex-wife has celebrated the player returning to Barcelona's list of legends
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Dani Alves' ex-wife has celebrated his return to Barcelona's list of legends after their disgraced former player was initially removed after being found guilty of rape and sentenced to prison.
Alves was given four years and six months behind bars last week following his conviction of a rape in a Barcelona nightclub bathroom.
The disgraced former player won 23 trophies with Barcelona and is one of the most decorated footballers in history, but the club decided to remove him from their pantheon of legends on their website following the verdict.
But just days later the 40-year-old has been reinstated, with his picture and description now visible again alongside other iconic players in their history.
Alves is described as 'the best right back in Barca's long history' - adding: 'Football fans will never forget hid raids down the right hand side in tandem with Messi, wreaking havoc on opposing defences.'
![Disgraced ex-Barcelona player Dani Alves has been restored to the club's list of legends](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/01/12/81569573-13145327-There_is_now_an_effort_to_remove_him_from_the_club_s_memory_foll-a-7_1709296589013.jpg)
Disgraced ex-Barcelona player Dani Alves has been restored to the club's list of legends
![His ex-wife Joana Sanz has appeared to celebrate the news after posting on social media](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/01/12/81570497-13145327-He_had_admitted_to_cheating_on_his_wife_Joana_Sanz_pictured_but_-a-8_1709296592139.jpg)
![Reports claimed the model filed for divorce from Alves last year](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/01/12/81570561-13145327-Reports_claimed_the_model_filed_for_divorce_from_Alves_last_year-a-9_1709296592146.jpg)
His ex-wife Joana Sanz has appeared to celebrate the news after posting on social media
![She wrote 'to Caesar what blongs to Caesar' in a post on her Instagram story](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/01/12/81916545-13145327-image-a-6_1709296557427.jpg)
She wrote 'to Caesar what blongs to Caesar' in a post on her Instagram story
![Alves has now appeared on the list of legends once again alongside stars like Gerard Pique, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/01/12/81917191-13145327-image-a-29_1709297605176.jpg)
Alves has now appeared on the list of legends once again alongside stars like Gerard Pique, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets
And after U-turning on their decision to remove Alves, his ex-wife Joana Sanz appeared to celebrate in a story on her Instagram account.
She uploaded a screenshot of a news story discussing him being reinstated, with a caption saying: 'To Caesar what belongs to Caesar.'
Sanz - who has reportedly filed for divorce from Alves - had been part of the family group present at Alves' sentencing in Barcelona's Audiencia Provincial court. on February 22.
The Tenerife-born model gave evidence on his behalf and said he arrived home 'very drunk'. His alcohol consumption that night was not taken into account as a mitigating factor.
In a letter Joana posted online shortly before his sentencing, and removed seconds later - claiming she had published it by mistake - Alves said: 'I pray every day that the day comes when I can see you wake up.'
![Alves (right) won 23 trophies with Barca and was, for many, their greatest right-back ever](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/01/12/81761105-13145327-Alves_right_won_23_trophies_with_Barca_and_was_for_many_their_gr-a-10_1709296605606.jpg)
Alves (right) won 23 trophies with Barca and was, for many, their greatest right-back ever
![Alves was named in the FIFA FIFPro World XI six times while at Barcelona but his conviction left his legendary status in tatters](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/01/12/81761099-13145327-Alves_was_named_in_the_FIFA_FIFPro_World_XI_six_times_while_at_B-a-11_1709296607816.jpg)
Alves was named in the FIFA FIFPro World XI six times while at Barcelona but his conviction left his legendary status in tatters
![Residents in his native Brazilian state of Bahia are calling for his vandalised statue to be removed](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/01/12/81693669-13145327-Residents_in_his_native_Brazilian_state_of_Bahia_are_calling_for-a-16_1709297062031.jpg)
Residents in his native Brazilian state of Bahia are calling for his vandalised statue to be removed
Back in June 2023, Alves admitted to cheating on Sanz, however, maintained that he was innocent.
Speaking to La Vanguardia from prison last summer, Alves apologised to his former partner. 'The only person I have to apologise to is my wife, Joana Sanz,' he said.
'The woman I married eight years ago, to whom I am still married, and with whom I hope to continue living all my life.
'I have already apologised to her personally here in prison, but I must do it publicly, because the story is public, the offence is public and she deserves a public apology.
'These have been, are being and will be very hard days for her. I thank her for everything she is doing for me. Her role is not easy. I love her and during this time in prison I have thought a lot about our marriage.
'I am certain that I was not wrong to choose Joana as my wife. Although perhaps she did make a mistake with me.'
![The family of Dani Alves are seen leaving the court during the trial earlier this month - including ex-wife Sanz (middle left) and mother Lucia (middle right)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/01/12/81570001-13145327-The_family_of_Dani_Alves_are_seen_leaving_the_court_during_the_t-a-12_1709296633720.jpg)
The family of Dani Alves are seen leaving the court during the trial earlier this month - including ex-wife Sanz (middle left) and mother Lucia (middle right)
![Sanz published the letter to her Instagram account](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/01/12/68767297-13145327-Sanz_published_the_letter_to_her_Instagram_account-a-14_1709296645791.jpg)
![Sanz published the letter to her Instagram account](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/01/12/68767295-13145327-Sanz_published_the_letter_to_her_Instagram_account-a-15_1709296645795.jpg)
In a letter, Sanz appeared to confirm their split and wrote 'it will take years to erase from my memory his way of looking at me'
![Prosecutors had been pushing for a 12-year sentence for the 40-year-old Brazilian after being convicted of raping a women at a Spanish nightclub in 2022](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/01/12/81569761-13145327-Prosecutors_had_been_pushing_for_a_12_year_sentence_for_the_40_y-a-13_1709296638806.jpg)
Prosecutors had been pushing for a 12-year sentence for the 40-year-old Brazilian after being convicted of raping a women at a Spanish nightclub in 2022
His wife appeared to confirm she had split from Alves in a social media post.
In a handwritten letter, she said 'it will take years to erase from my memory his way of looking at me' and 'here is a strong woman moving on to the next stage of her life.'
It comes after residents in his native Brazilian state of Bahia called for his statue in Juazeiro - which has already been vandalised - to be removed.
Alves admitted to having sex in a toilet at upmarket Barcelona nightclub Sutton in the early hours of December 31, 2022 with his 23-year-old female accuser, but insisted it was consensual.
The woman he was today found guilty of raping confirmed Alves had forced himself on her when she gave her evidence in court behind her screen.
A friend who was with her the night of the rape broke down in tears as she recalled how the victim was 'crying uncontrollably' after leaving the small bathroom where the incident occured.
State prosecutors had demanded a nine year prison sentence if Alves was convicted and a private prosecutor acting for the victim demanded a 12-year jail term at his trial.
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