Dani Alves told Barcelona’s board “you’re going to miss me”, before leaving for Juventus as a free agent last year.
Alves spent eight years at the Nou Camp and says the La Liga club are “still in my blood”, refusing to be frustrated by the manner of his departure.
“Was I disrespected by the board of directors before I left the club last summer? Absolutely,” he told the UK Guardian.
“That is simply how I feel and you can never tell me any different. But you cannot play for a club for eight years and achieve everything that we did and not have that club in your heart for ever. Managers, players and board members come and go but Barça will never go away.
“Before I went to Juventus, I made a final promise to the board at Barcelona. I said: ‘You’re going to miss me.’ I didn’t mean as a player. Barça have plenty of incredible players. What I meant was they were going to miss my spirit. They were going to miss the care I had for the dressing room. They were going to miss the blood I spilled every time I put on the shirt.”
Alves, who was one of Pep Guardiola’s first signings, won 23 trophies at Barca including three European Cups and six La Liga titles.
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