The man who almost won the 23rd La Liga title for Barcelona may soon be leaving the club.
Dani Alves’ powerful drive almost bulged Thibaut Courtois’ net in the 80th minute of the final League game, which would have all but guaranteed a fifth La Liga for the man from Juazeiro.
Time at Barcelona waits for no one, and not even six years containing 16 trophies – including four Leagues and two Champions Leagues – could be enough to save his career at the Nou Camp. 2013-14 saw Alves play his fewest domestic and European matches for Barcelona, but he remained a key figure, playing in both Champions League quarter-final legs and the crucial final game against Atletico Madrid. In the very words of the official Barcelona website, they would be losing “one of the strongest, most intense right-sided players in the world.”
Having said that, we may have seen the best of Alves. He signed for Barcelona at 25, at the peak of his powers. His performances at Sevilla, which included five trophies, was enough for the Catalan club to fork out around €32m, in the process becoming the third most expensive defender ever. Now he could be replaced by Fiorentina’s Cuadrado, who would be following his compatriot James Rodriguez to Spain.
Questions are being asked about Alves’ game – certainly Phil Scolari had his doubts during the World Cup. The full-back played every minute until the quarter-finals, when Maicon took his place for the remaining three games. The Roma man has had a distinguished career in Europe, but being replaced by a 33-year-old clearly past his best was not a great indictment.
As is the Brazilian way, Alves loves social media, and his most recent Instagram photo features himself embracing Jordi Alba after recently returning to pre-season. In Spanish, he writes “Back to work, with the hope of a child and the experience of a man”.
Indeed, it would be unfair for Coach Luis Enrique to dispose of Alves without even seeing him in pre-season training. Such a key figure in the Guardiola Empire and the crucial overlapping outlet so important to the Barca game, Alves may still have a role to play.
Enrique’s decision may come down to how he wants his team to play. With Neymar injured, Luis Suarez banned, and Lionel Messi possibly still fatigued, the dynamism and running power Alves brings could be crucial. Furthermore, with Jeremy Mathieu likely to slot into the centre of defence, Enrique may be reticent to further disrupt his back four.
However, looking ahead to the future, if Enrique wants to crowbar Suarez, Neymar, and Messi into one kamikaze all-out attack method, having a more rigid defense and midfield foundation may be of more interest. Plus, it would relieve Barca of a considerable dent to their wage budget.
What is in little doubt, however, is that the Blaugrana dressing room and fans would miss the popular right-back. His charity work and eclectic social media profiles made him an instant hit. Images of him eating the banana a Villarreal fan threw went viral, while his oft quotable interviews, such as his views on Manchester City or the Suarez ban, make him a popular figure in the media. Expect to see Alves strutting his stuff in the Champions League this season, with or without the Barca shirt.
