A Spanish court has denied Brazil star Dani Alves’s bid to be freed on bail while the investigation of a sex attack accusation against him continues.

The 39-year-old former Barcelona player is a flight risk and must stay in prison during the probe, the court ruled on Tuesday.

Alves was provisionally detained in January after being accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a nightclub on December 30.

A judge ordered him to be jailed without bail after an initial investigation by authorities.

He has denied wrongdoing.