Revealed: Neymar sent ex-Barcelona team-mate Dani Alves €150,000 to assist in defence of sexual assault charges leading to former right-back receiving lenient four-year sentence

According to Brazilian outlet UOL, the ex-defender turned to his former international and club team-mate due to being stranded in Barcelona. Neymar reportedly transferred €150,000 to the Spanish courts back on August 9 in a payment for "mitigating compensation for damage caused". It is thought that this payment had a serious impact on the length of the sentence imposed; he was handed the minimum sentence allowed on Thursday, of four years. Spanish courts can punish those found guilty of sexual offences to 12 years as a maximum.

The former Brazil international is accused of sexually assaulting a 23-year-old woman in a Barcelona nightclub in December 2021, an act which he claims was consensual. UOL notes that Neymar's intervention was needed as Alves' assets have been frozen following his divorce from ex-wife Dinorah Santana. She is now suing the former right-back for non-payment of alimony.

The connection with Neymar wasn't just limited to monetary payments. Around the same time as the transfer, on June 28, UOL reports that Alves appointed Gustavo Xisto, one the oldest representatives of Neymar's father's companies, as his attorney-in-fact. The same day as Xisto's appointment, the report notes, Alves removed Santana from managing his assets.

Alves is facing up to four years in prison after being found guilty. Neymar, of course, is currently playing football in Saudi Arabia but is injured at the time of writing.