Posted on November 17, 2021 at 6.30 p.m. by Th.B. updated on November 17, 2021 at 6:32 p.m.
After thanking Dani Alves for choosing to return to FC Barcelona, Joan Laporta got to the heart of the matter in the internal discussions leading up to the return of the 38-year-old legend. And the veteran’s fitness is one of the main reasons according to the FC Barcelona president.
Decidedly, autumn rhymes with return season to FC Barcelona although it is not conducive to transfers, the market is only open in winter and summer . However, on November 6, Barça was finally able to record the return of Xavi Hernandez after failures in the winter of 2020 and in the summer of that same year, without forgetting the last offseason when Joan Laporta was looking for a successor to Ronald Koeman before the latter was retained in his post. Dismissed at the end of October, Koeman left his place as coach of the first team to Xavi Hernandez who for his part, recorded the return of Dani Alves in the wake as the new recruit revealed it this Wednesday during his presentation at Camp Nou against the socios of FC Barcelona . “Xavi knows what I'm thinking and what we're going through on and off the pitch. My chances increased and then he called me to ask if I could help. I told him: “It's Barca and if Barca need me I don't want to know anything else. If I have to play for free I will play for free. I will settle it with the club. No matter how . ” From this call, I was already at Barça. No matter how “. While he had been without a club since his contract at Sao Paulo was terminated last September, Alves chose to favor a return to FC Barcelona instead of launching another challenge elsewhere.
“20 km from his home every day. And that blew me away ”
And this decision, Joan Laporta particularly appreciated it if one believes the words of the president of FC Barcelona held during said presentation of Dani Alves this Wednesday afternoon. ” Today is a big day. Dani, who is extraordinary, with great talent and a great gift. The board of directors, the technical secretary and the coach, we are delighted to bring soul and character. It's all impressive. There is nothing more to say. Visca Barça, Visca Catalunya and Visca Dani Alves. Thank you Dani for coming back to Barça. We will do it again. It is a day of joy and emotions that have been repeated since the days when Dani was at Barça. He is a self-made man, who has a soul and who imprints his character wherever he goes. His presentation at the Estadi was spectacular. This is proof of the love that Barça supporters have for him ”.
During the same presentation, President Laporta made a big confession which reinforced his idea of repatriating Dani Alves . And this highlight of the file was the speech made by the Brazilian in terms of his physical form despite his 38 springs. “For us, once the decision was made, because Dani and I had a friendly relationship and he told me that he would come to play, to fight to win and to help the team which is in the process of breaking up. form. Talking with Yuste and Alemany, we saw his last year and we agree that he is a physically gifted person, with an extraordinary physique. When we signed him, during that lunch with Dani and his team, I remembered that he said he was very fit because he was going to study 20 km from home every day. And that blew me away ”. said Joan Laporta during the presentation of Dani Alves on Wednesday and in remarks reported by Mundo Deportivo. It remains to be seen whether the former Blaugrana glory will be able to pull Xavi Hernandez 's bottom line up.