2023-01-22
The Barcelona coach, Xavi Hernández, qualified the statements made on Saturday in which he seemed to support his former Brazilian teammate Dani Alves, who has been in prison since Thursday on charges of sexual assault.
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“Yesterday what he wanted to say about Dani Alves was misinterpreted. Perhaps I was not forceful enough with my words and it is important that I explain myself”, Xavi began his press conference after Barça’s victory over Getafe (1-0) this Sunday.
“It is a very difficult subject and yesterday (Saturday) I avoided talking about the victims. I was not lucky. All these types of acts must be condemned, whether they were done by Dani or anyone else. I apologize to the victim, to the victims of both gender violence and this type of violation,” added Xavi.
“That said, I feel bad that Dani was able to commit this type of act, it surprises me and all my support for the victim. I was not right ”, insisted Xavi, who acknowledged that he did not have a “pleasant day” after the great amount of criticism he received for his statements on Saturday.
In the run-up to the duel with Getafe, Xavi was “in shock”, “surprised and shocked” by the accusations of sexual assault that a 23-year-old girl presented against Dani Alves.
“I feel very bad for him, I am surprised by how he was when he was here with us,” he added without making any reference to the alleged victim.
The 39-year-old Brazilian player was sacked by the Mexican club Pumas after his arrest and a judge ordered his entry into prison without bail in Barcelona on Thursday.
Alves, who played eight seasons at Barcelona, between 2008 and 2016, returned to the Catalan club for a short period of time last season, under Xavi.
Catalan police reported that they received a complaint on January 2 from a woman who accused Alves of sexual assault.
While the police declined to provide details about the case, a source close to the investigation told AFP that Alves is charged with sexual assault.
The woman reiterated her accusation before the judge on Friday, the source added.
The alleged sexual assault took place in a popular nightclub in Barcelona, in the early hours of December 31, according to information from the Spanish press.
Dani Alves joins Cristiano and other footballers who have been accused of sexual crimes
Alves was a key player in Barcelona’s golden age, winning three Champions Leagues with the club, and six Spanish league titles.
