Barcelona full-back Dani Alves has never been shy when it comes to expressing an opinion, with his run-ins with opposition players on Twitter becoming the stuff of legend. The Brazilian vowed to continue in his antagonistic form, while also revealing that he is close to an exit from Barcelona, with his homeland being a prime destination.
In a wide-ranging interview with FIFA.com, Alves was in typical garrulous form, saying “If I think something, whether it’ll go down well or badly, I’ll always say it. I’m a free man and free to give my opinion too. When you express an opinion it’s frowned upon, because people are only capable of receiving praise – never criticism. Even if it’s your humble opinion, you know?”
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The full-back was recently in the news for describing Arsenal as ‘too immature’ to win the Premier League, becoming involved with a Twitter spat with Cristiano Ronaldo, while also revealing that James Milner is the toughest opponent he’s ever faced. Not bad for a fortnight’s work.
Alves hints at Barcelona exit
Alves has been involved in a contractual wrangle at Barcelona, and with Aleix Vidal shining for the Catalans, it seems that the Brazilian’s time at the Nou Camp is coming to an end. For his part, Alves is not unduly perturbed, as he already has charted out what he plans to do next.
The full-back revealed that a return to boyhood club Bahia is on his mind, saying “I’ve already promised that I’d end my career where I started it [at Bahia], as a way of thanking those who gave me the chance to make my name in football. I want to have a spell there before I retire, but one that’s enjoyable for me and for them too.”
“I’ll be sure to stay in shape so that I can go back and not be a disappointment! (laughs). The idea is for it to be fun for everybody involved, and then call it a day.” When talking about life after retirement, Alves revealed his preference to stay away from the game, saying “I enjoy gastronomy, music and fashion, so I’ll end up involved in one of those three areas– or all three! They’re things I have a passion for, and I only do what I’m passionate about.”
Barcelona deserve more recognition
Alves was also typically vocal about his admiration for the Barcelona side he’s been a part of, saying “We’ve seen an incredible version of this team over the last five or six years and, when people thought we couldn’t keep it going, we’ve gone and done it again. That’s the kind of footballing stability you dream of having in your career.”
“We’ve maintained our desire to keep competing and that takes us to where we are. You’re aware that your opponents, at the end of the day, also prepare well and might beat you, but that feeling and that desire that we have won’t be witnessed in another team for a while. It’s unique, incredible. For those who are genuinely passionate about football, Barça are worthy of admiration.”
Alves, whose tendency to hog the limelight hasn’t distracted from the spotlight being shone on the MSN trio, spoke about the defender’s lot in football, saying “ Mascherano, who had an incredible World Cup [Brazil 2014] and could have been in contention for the [tournament’s] best player award… But the thing is, those whose job it is to “break up” the play, don’t have the same media impact.”
“In football, I’ve always been about adapting to what’s asked of me, to what my team-mates need from me. I’m a team player. At Barcelona, we all think like that, and that’s the key to our success.”
