Former Brazil and Barcelona star Dani Alves has been conditionally released from jail after he paid bail of €1m (£853,000).
Alves was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison last month after a court found him guilty of raping a woman in a Barcelona nightclub in 2022.
On Monday, the court in Spain gave the former Brazil footballer permission to leave jail pending his appeal, after he made the stated bail.
The 40-year-old has been held in pre-trial detention since January 2023.
“We hereby inform you that the deposit of Daniel Alves’ bail has been registered in the accounts of the 21st section of the Barcelona Court,” said a statement.
However, a lawyer for the rape victim has called the decision to allow him to leave jail “a scandal”.
Speaking last week, Ester Garcia said: “To me, it’s a scandal that they let a person who they know can get a million euros in no time walk free.”
Ms Garcia told RAC1 radio she was “outraged and dissatisfied” with the ruling, adding it was “a justice [system] for the rich” and that she would lodge an appeal.
The player has served about a quarter of his sentence for rape to this point – a fact highlighted by Alves’ lawyer when his conditional release was requested earlier this month.
The conditions for his release include handing over both his Brazilian and Spanish passports so he is unable to leave Spain. He must also appear before the court weekly.
The court additionally imposed a restraining order, preventing him from approaching the victim.
The decision was not unanimous due to a dissenting vote from one of the judges.
During the trial in February, prosecutors said Alves and his friend had bought champagne for three young women before Alves lured one of them to a bathroom in the VIP area of the club.
They argued that it was at this point he turned violent, forcing the woman to have sex despite her repeated requests to leave.
Alves had maintained she could have left “if she wanted to”.
