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Who is Cristobal Martell, Messi's lawyer now hired to defend Dani Alves in sexual assault case?

Brazilian star Dani Alves, facing allegations of sexual assault filed by a woman he met on December 30 at a nightclub in Barcelona, will be defended by renowned lawyer Cristobal Martell.

football Who is Cristobal Martell, Messi's lawyer now hired to defend Dani Alves in sexual assault case snt
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First Published Jan 25, 2023, 6:37 PM IST

Brazilian star Dani Alvez, facing allegations of sexually assaulting a woman, has hired the services of renowned layer Cristobal Martell, known for defending legendary forward Lionel Messi in his tax fraud case. The 39-year-old right-back was arrested last week on suspicion of allegedly sexually assaulting a lady on December 30 at a nightclub in Barcelona.

Martell was a member of the defence team when Messi was found guilty of tax fraud and given a suspended sentence of 21 months in Spain in 2016. The Argentina star did not have to serve any time in prison.

Also read: Ronaldo or Messi? Former Atletico Madrid star Diego Godin reveals who was more tough to defend

Here's all you need to know about Martell:

Martell, whose father was a diplomat, was born in Caracas and raised in the Canary Islands until he moved to Barcelona to pursue a legal education.

He is a well-known attorney who has handled the cases of numerous celebrities and is known for his ability to settle matters outside of court.

Martell also represented former Barcelona president Josep Lluis Nunez, former Partido Popular treasurer Alvaro Lapuerta and businessman Jordi Pujol Ferrusola.

football Who is Cristobal Martell, Messi's lawyer now hired to defend Dani Alves in sexual assault case snt

He is also well-known among Barcelona supporters for having worked with the Justice Department to reach a settlement after the club was found guilty of a tax offence in connection with the acquisition of Neymar, even though former presidents Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu were found not guilty.

Along with the player's existing counsel, Miraida Puente Wilson, who helped him prepare his statement on Friday, Alves' new attorney will be in charge of this matter. The appeal against Alves' interim detention is already in their hands.

After hearing testimony from the player, his accuser, and a witness, a court ordered the 39-year-old Alves to be held without the option of bail, and he has been in jail since Friday. He has said he did nothing wrong.

Also read: Revealed: How Messi's 'words' left lasting impact on Argentina teammates during World Cup 2022

After Alves was arrested and his bail request was denied, his family reportedly requested that his defence team be changed.

Alves has won 42 championships throughout his soccer career, including two Copa Americas with Brazil and three Champions Leagues with Barcelona. He participated in his third World Cup in Qatar, the one major championship he had not won.

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