Alves: ‘Juventus didn’t understand me’

By Football Italia staff

Dani Alves says Juventus “didn’t understand me, on or off the pitch” though “little by little it improved”.

The full-back joined the Bianconeri on a free transfer from Barcelona last summer, but he terminated his contract after just 12 months and yesterday joined Paris Saint-Germain.

“At first I had a lot of trouble because they didn’t understand me, on or off the pitch,” Alves explained to L’Équipe.

“It took some time to make the connection between what I thought and what they thought, and once we found that connection the results came.

“That’s what I could bring them, how to have a good fluidity in the dressing room.

“Frustration? Here’s an example. In the dressing room we weren’t allowed to put music on. I can’t live without music, without dancing.

“I’m not a crazy person who wants to change all the rules, and everyone has his own way or raising his energy and transmitting it to others.

“I like for the atmosphere to be joyful, collegiate. We have to find ways of doing that, I was thinking about the good of the collective.

“I was viewed with a bit of suspicion though. Little by little it improved and we had a good second half of the season.

“Life needs madness, as long as it doesn’t cause you to divert from your principles. But at my base I’m very sound, very sensible.

“I’m a spontaneous person, but I never try to hurt or bother others.”

Alves also discussed his move to PSG, admitting that he turned down a reunion with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

“We spoke, yes. Or rather I spoke to him. I explained the reasons for my decision.

“With all that we experienced together we have a very cordial, respectful relationship. This respect can help us understand things.

“I don’t know if he understood my choice, I had other options. Here, yes, but also in England. In the end I make the decision.

“I didn’t come for a single reason, but the whole thing. First of all there’s the spectacular PSG project.

“I want to make that clear, because everything PSG have already achieved so far is quite unknown. I think they’re close to achieving their objectives and becoming a truly global club.

“I have a lot of friends at this club and I got a glimpse of how it works. Every few days I was getting phone calls from them.

“They explained the project of the club, their ambitions, to try and convince me.

“Another thing which really counted was the wellbeing of my wife, the prospect of spending some time in a city like Paris enchanted her.

“When I went to Juventus I made the decision alone, without consulting my relatives. They might not have had the quality of life they hoped for, but they followed me.

“So I took all those things into account when I made my decision.”

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