Interview: Dani Alves moving on from Pep Guardiola era

Andy West 01:38 06/05/2015
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  • Dani Alves celebrates his 32nd birthday today.

    Unprecedented glory, decline to relative mediocrity and now another rise towards greatness: Dani Alves has seen a lot during his seven years and more than 300 games as Barcelona’s rampaging right-back.

    As the first signing made by Pep Guardiola, the flamboyant Brazil international is perfectly placed to dissect his team’s rematch with the charismatic coach in tonight’s tantalising Champions League semi-final first leg against Bayern Munich.

    And as the man who has created more goals for Lionel Messi than anyone else – including yet another in Saturday’s victory at Cordoba – Alves can draw upon deep personal knowledge of what makes the Argentina superstar tick.

    With a league, cup and European treble on the cards, Alves also knows that his team is on the brink of making history over the next few weeks, even if he refuses to look further ahead than the standard ‘game by game’ approach.

    In great form and with everything to play for, this could be the time for Barcelona to reassert themselves as the best team in the world – and Dani Alves, who celebrates his 32nd birthday today, will be there every step of the way.

    Q You were Pep Guardiola’s first signing at Barcelona. How do you remember that time and what were your first impressions of him?

    From the first weeks we knew he was on our side, always encouraging us, always boosting our confidence. It is natural that people always talk about his success, but he is a really good guy as well.

    Your first season ended with a league, cup and Champions League treble – when did you first sense that the team was heading somewhere special?

    That was a big part in the attraction, when I joined the club. Before they had been at the top, but just hadn’t been able to stay there.

    I knew that if everything went as it could, I would be a part of building the most successful era in Barcelona’s history.

    The team structure developed by Guardiola was unique. How long did it take to fully understand what he wanted?

    I was joining a team that was being rebuilt, but I think all the players understood what he wanted very quickly.

    The thing with Pep is that in training he simplifies things; he doesn’t make them more complicated. It is that simplistic, beautiful approach to the game that made us so successful; we got it very quickly.

    Luis Enrique has said he’s looking forward to going up against Pep – what about you and your team-mates? What have people said in the dressing room about facing Guardiola?

    Everybody who has played for Pep likes him, but we have a big job to do against Bayern. Everybody at the club wants to win the Champions League, in football there can be no memory. We have a job to do.

    The tie is also a rematch with Bayern following their 7-0 win against you two years ago. With hindsight, did that tie signal the ‘end of an era’ for Barca and show you had to move on from the Pep era, and will there be a sense of revenge?

    These results just sometimes happen, you can’t overthink them. The most important thing is that we progress to the final, but those games you mention hurt. If we are to progress I am not sure I would say revenge, but perhaps a chance to put things right.

    Looking at Barca this season, before and after Christmas the results and performances weren’t great, but you have been almost unstoppable since then. How do you explain the transformation?

    I think confidence, we always knew we could go on a run and now we are playing with more confidence than we have all season.

    Now you have the chance of a treble – considering the way you have played recently and the teams you have already beaten, you must feel confident that you can win everything?

    It is possible, but at this stage of the season you must approach one game at a time. At this stage every game is so important, we can’t lose focus.

    With Luis Suarez and Neymar as well as Lionel Messi would you agree that you have become a team focused upon the strengths of the forwards, whereas in the past you were based around the midfield?

    The attacking three players we have are special, the most special I have ever seen. Of course our forwards have a big part to play in our success, but so does every position. It is not just up to the attacking players.

    Close bond: Alves with Lionel Messi.

    Tell us about your relationship with Messi. You seem very close – for example, you always warm up together before games and he recently said you’re his best friend in the team. How would you describe your relationship?

    We are great friends, not just in the dressing room and in the training ground, but away from football. We will be great friends for life.

    You will be 32 soon but you still never stop running. Do you feel more tired now after games than you used to?

    I don’t think it is old. I look after myself, the training programme we have here is very good, I feel great.

    Your future beyond this season is still unknown – are you annoyed that the club hasn’t already sorted out a new contract?

    The club know that I am professional who is just concentrated on success this season. In the summer we can have these discussions, but for now every game is like a final for us. 

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