Reports that Memphis Depay paid Dani Alves €1m bail fee denied

Former Barcelona and Sevilla defender defender Dani Alves has been released from prison on bail after posting a €1m fee, as he awaits the resolution of his appeal against a four and a half year sentence for rape. He has also had his two passports taken away, to prevent him from fleeing the country.

There had been reports from La Vanguardia that a group of Alves’ friends had put into a pot to provide the money for Alves, who is currently unable to access his fortune of over €50m. This was then built upon by TUDN Mexico, who claimed that Atletico Madrid forward Memphis Depay was one of those who had contributed.

Memphis said recently that the pair were friends, but Sebastian Ladure from Memphis’ representation went on Telecinco to deny this, as per MD, claiming that it was ‘fake news’ – ‘It’s fake news, it’s not true at all.’

Alves was initially helped out by the Neymar family to pay the initial €150k in damages to the victim, but Neymar’s father put out a statement saying he would not be paying the bail in light of Alves’ conviction.