DANI Alves' wife has demanded a divorce after he was arrested over an alleged nightclub assault, according to reports.
Joana Sanz, 29, removed most photos of her with the footballer from her Instagram after he reportedly claimed he had consensual sex with his accuser - having initially denied he knew her.
The Spanish model told of her heartbreak after Alves, 39, was detained in custody in Barcelona, just days after her mother died.
But Joana has now told her lawyers she wants a divorce after her husband refused to see her in the prison where he is being held on remand, Spanish TV programme Telecinco show El Programme de Ana Rosa claims.
The Tenerife-born beauty, who married former Barcelona defender Alves in 2017, has yet to make any official comment on the bombshell report.
Police in Barcelona investigating sexual assault allegedly involving Dani Alves
Joana’s decision to erase most of her photos with Alves - except a couple linked to advertising campaigns - came after her initial show of support for the Brazilian international.
Alves was sacked by Mexican club UNAM Pumas after he was remanded in custody by a judge in Barcelona.
A 23-year-old woman claimed she was assaulted by Alves at the city's swanky Sutton venue on December 30, leading to his arrest on January 20.
A judge ruled Alves should be kept in custody, and he has been in the cells since at a jail outside the city.
Alves who enjoyed two spells at Barcelona before signing for Mexican side UNAM Pumas last year, claimed before his arrest he had never met his female accuser.
However, in a court hearing, the footballer reportedly told the magistrate he had consensual sex with the woman.
Following the footballer’s arrest, Joana said she had lost the “two pillars in my life.”
But hours before Alves was remanded in custody, she posted a photo of them holding hands with the message ‘Together’ in English.
In Spain, there are two types of divorce - agreed and contested.
Agreed divorce is when both spouses petition for divorce together.
‘More than enough evidence’ to hold Dani Alves for nightclub rape, says judge
Contested divorce, however, is when only one person files without the other's consent.
Joana’s manager Silvia Bosch, when asked about the divorce report on Spanish TV, said: “Joana is not making any sort of comment and will continue that way.”
Meanwhile, Alves’ ex-wife has been outspoken in her defence of the player.
Dana Dinorah said at the start of last week: “I’m still in shock. It seems like it’s a nightmare and it’s not happening.”
Insisting she believed the father of their two children was innocent, the Brazilian-based businesswoman said in an interview with a Spanish TV programme: “Dani would never ever ever do this.
“I say this because I’ve known him for 22 years and was married to him for 10.
“This has been a shock for me and for my children."
Initially it was reported Alves had been accused of putting his hands down his accuser’s underwear inside the nightclub.
It then emerged the woman had alleged she was slapped round the face and raped in a toilet.
Court officials have confirmed Alves is under investigation on suspicion of sexually assaulting a woman, but have not confirmed the exact nature of the allegations against him.
His new lawyer submitted a bail application on Monday, arguing the footballer is not a flight risk.
He agreed his client would have his passport taken away so he can’t leave Spain and wear an electronic tag if necessary as part of his bail conditions.
The decision on whether he is released pending an ongoing criminal probe is expected to be taken sometime next month.
Both the state prosecutor and a lawyer acting for Alves’ accuser are expected to oppose the bail application from his lawyer.
The final decision on a conditional release would be taken by a higher court and not the one that is currently investigating the footballer.
Investigations of the sort currently being conducted by the investigating magistrate can take months and even years in some cases to complete, especially when suspects are on bail.
People under formal investigation can be held in prison without charge for up to four years in Spain, although the normal limit is two years.
Formal charges in Spain are only laid when an investigating magistrate rules there is sufficient evidence for a trial to take place and subsequently invites prosecutors to submit an indictment.
