Barcelona manager Xavi has revealed he is ‘in a state of shock’ after the arrest of his former teammate Dani Alves.
Earlier in the month, according to Catalonia’s Supreme Court, Alves is under investigation over an allegation that he sexually assaulted a woman in a nightclub in Spain.
The allegation came after reports in Spain revealed that a woman accused Alves of touching her without consent.
A statement from the court said it had opened proceedings “for an alleged crime of sexual assault as a result of the complaint filed by a woman for events that allegedly occurred in a nightclub in Barcelona last month.”
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Speaking ahead of his side’s man against Getafe, Barcelona boss Xavi spoke about his former teammate’s arrest.
He said: “It's difficult to comment on a situation like this.
“I am surprised, shocked, in a state of shock. It's a question of justice. Justice will rule whatever it is.
“I feel very bad for Dani. I'm in a state of shock about how he is with us.”
In an interview with Antena 3 last week, Alves denied any wrongdoing.
He said: “I was dancing and having a good time without invading anyone's space.
“I don't know who this lady is. How could I do that to a woman? No.”
During their time together at the Camp Nou, Xavi and Alves got their hands on five La Liga titles, three Champions League trophies and three Copa del Rey crowns.
Alves then returned to play under Xavi in 2021 aged 38, making 17 appearances before leaving for Mexican side Pumas.
Since appointing Xavi, Barcelona are now starting to rediscover their best football as they currently sit top of La Liga with 41 points, three points ahead of arch-rivals Real Madrid.
Last week, they got their hands on the Spanish Super Cup after beating Madrid 3-1 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Topics: Dani Alves, Xavi, Barcelona, Football
Marcus Chan