What’s the story?
Juventus defender Dani Alves has slammed Barcelona for not showing enough respect to their players while also going on to reveal how the top brass at the Camp Nou were unfaithful to him.
The right-back ended his eight-year spell at the Catalan club and made a switch to Juventus in 2016 on a free transfer.
"I like being loved, and if they do not want me, I'm leaving. During my last three seasons, I always heard that Alves was leaving, but the managers never said anything to me,” Alves told the Spanish publication ABC Sports.
“They were very false and ungrateful. They did not respect me. I was only offered to a renewal when FIFA was sanctioned. That is when I came into play and signed a renewal with a free clause. Those who run Barcelona today have no idea how to treat their players,” the 33-year-old added.
In case you didn’t know...
During his final years at Barcelona, Alves was constantly linked with a move away from the club. The defender admitted he received no communications from his managers regarding the speculations suggesting that the club were willing to sell him. The board assured him of a new deal, only to renege on their word months later.
In the summer of 2015, he was widely reported to join Manchester United on a free transfer after winning the treble with Barcelona. However, he decided against leaving the La Liga giants and signed a contract extension, only to leave them a year later for Juventus.
The heart of the matter
Barcelona were handed a transfer ban due to a failure to register international players below the age of 18. FIFA’s ban restricted them from conducting any transfer activity in both the winter and summer transfer windows of 2015.
The South American star explained how he had used this transfer ban to force Barcelona to agree to his terms before agreeing to an extension. He revealed how he included a clause in the contract which allowed him to leave Camp Nou for nothing and the Catalan club were forced to agree to his personal terms.
Also read: Dani Alves explains the truth behind fights with Cristiano Ronaldo
Alves admitted that leaving Barcelona for nothing made him happy, while also suggesting that the problems at the club go beyond the activities that take place on the pitch and in the training grounds.
What’s next?
Alves’ comments are likely to prompt a reaction from the officials at Barcelona and it remains to be seen how they respond to the claims made by the defender.
Sportskeeda’s Take
Alves’ words are surprising seeing as how Barcelona have retained a number of their star players including Lionel Messi, Iniesta and Xavi over the years and have settled contact disputes amicably.
