Mercato: FC Barcelona puts Dani Alves under pressure
Returned to Barcelona this season, Daniel Alves does not yet know what his future will be. The Brazilian wants to continue the adventure with the Blaugrana, who have not yet sealed his fate.
More than a club. For Dani Alves, FC Barcelona represents a golden page of his beautiful career. A team that has been a second family and that has propelled him to the rank of world star between 2008 and 2016. It was therefore difficult for him to refuse last November the call of Xavi, his former teammate turned coach. “Barcelona and Dani Alves have reached an agreement regarding the arrival of the Brazilian fullback to play the remaining part of the 2021/22 season. The player will train with the group from next week, but will not be able to play until January 2022,” the statement read.
Alves wants to continue
Free since his departure from Sao Paulo in September, the right-back, who signed until June with an optional year, trained with the Culés initially before returning to the field. On January 5, he played his first game with the Catalans. It was against Linares in the King’s Cup (90 minutes played, victory 2-1). Since then, the 38-year-old footballer, who came back to bring his experience and compete with Sergi Roberto, Sergiño Dest and the versatile Óscar Mingueza, has been used several times. In total, he has played 13 games in all competitions, 11 of them as a starter (1042 minutes played).
Despite his age, he was decisive with a goal against Atletico Madrid and three assists. But his role was mainly to bring his experience and spread the word in the Catalan dressing room, where he is one of the relays of Xavi. Happy at Barça, Dani Alves hopes to help the team to qualify for the next Champions League. Then it will be time to settle down and talk about the future. For his part, the goal is clear: he wants to continue with the Camp Nou residents next season. This is what he explained in early April in the columns of Mundo Deportivo and Sport.
Barça has not yet decided
“When I decided to play soccer, to start my career, I always wanted to give the best of myself while it lasts, until I no longer want to. My desire is still intact. I can continue to bring things, to compete, to live this profession as it should be”. Motivated and ready to continue next year, the Auriverde international, who is aiming for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, is waiting to know the decision of the Culés. Because they have not yet decided on Dani Alves, who will be 39 years old this Friday.
According to Sport, Xavi wants to keep him, but the sports management, led by Mateu Alemany and Jordi Cruyff, is not yet fully convinced, especially since they want to start a new cycle. The right-back is playing big at the end of the season. “Four tests to convince Barça”, headlines Sport, which says that Alves wants to take advantage of the games against Betis, Celta Vigo, Getafe and finally against Villarreal to put everyone in agreement. According to the Spanish publication, he should soon be fixed on his fate and would understand if the club finally decided not to extend the adventure with him. What is certain is that the player wants transparency from Barça. Just to settle all this as a family.
