Alves Defends his Innocence

Brazilian defender Dani Alves, who is awaiting trial in Spain for alleged rape, defended his innocence in an interview published Wednesday, saying he has a clear conscience.

Alves was detained in January in Barcelona after being accused of raping a young woman in the bathroom of a nightclub in the city in late December.

He  has been held in custody without bail because the court investigating him felt there was a risk he would try to flee.

At the time of the alleged rape, Alves was on holiday in Barcelona after playing for Brazil at the World Cup in Qatar.