‘OK, maybe it’s possible’: Was Dani Alves courting A-League offer?

Before Barcelona’s press conference began, star fullback Dani Alves told the media pack he would be giving them a lesson in Spanish, due to his limited English. But when asked about the chances of finishing his playing career in Australia, he didn’t bother with the translator.

“You have something for me? OK, maybe it’s possible,” he said.

“You have something for me?” Alves toys with the idea of an A-League move. Credit: Getty

The prospect of playing in the A-League has become a staple at media conferences whenever a major European side is in town, as journalists seek an easy angle. But when the question was directed towards the 39-year-old Brazilian on Tuesday, it had more than a hint of plausibility.

Alves is undoubtedly the best fullback of his generation and arguably the greatest of all time. He’s also a man on the hunt for trophies, experiences and new countries.

When he first left Barcelona in 2016, he looked to be on the wind-down world tour, picking up titles with sure-bet moves first to Juventus, then PSG followed by Sao Paulo before making a shock return to the Camp Nou last year. He’s not contracted beyond next month, doesn’t look like retiring and may not be part of the Barcelona rebuild that coach Xavi Hernandez says is already underway.

“Obviously we need to improve more but we are having words here with the vice president, Rafa [Yuste], with the president [Joan Laporta], with [sporting advisor] Jordi Cruyff,” Xavi said. “We’ll rebuild this team. We have a plan of course and we need to be competitive next season. We cannot permit another season without winning titles.”

Barcelona and the A-League All Stars in Sydney. Credit: Getty

Xavi wouldn’t give so much as a hint of the club’s expected summer transfer targets, said to include Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski. Nor would Alves reveal his future.

Another question often raised at exhibition matches involving European giants is what they really do for Australian football. With Alves off-contract and potentially playing his last game for Barcelona here in Sydney, is this a rare case of the A-League putting itself in the shop window for the touring party?

Against the backdrop of this match, the Australian Professional Leagues are drawing up a shopping list of marquee players. There is a respectable budget to bring high-profile players back to Australia, and the need has never been greater, with the A-League struggling for eyeballs.

Wednesday’s glamour clash is a timely promotion that will showcase top-level football in Sydney, with Barca pitted against a line-up featuring the best of the A-League. The All Stars may not have had time to gel, but the side will be packed with the best individual talent on offer in this country. A packed stadium of up to 70,000 will provide another glimpse of the potential for the game in Australia when coupled with the pulling power of big names.

“I think we have the opportunity tomorrow night to try and win over some of those fans and showcase what the A-League is all about,” Melbourne Victory defender Jason Davidson said.

Davidson will mark Alves on Wednesday night. Already, he is leading the pitch to bring him to Australia. When asked who he was most excited to face, Davidson turned away from the crowd and responded in Portuguese.

“I speak a little bit of Portuguese, I just wanted to know if it’s possible to swap jerseys with him [Alves],” Davidson said.

The lowdown: Barcelona v A-League All Stars

8pm, Accor Stadium.
Broadcast: Paramount Plus and Network Ten.

Possible teams:
Barcelona: Ter Stegen (Gk); Alves, Arajuo, Umtiti, Alba; De Jong, Gavi, Sergio; Depay, Fati, Traore.
All Stars: Redmayne (gk); Grant, Rowles, Mariappa, Davidson; Ninkovic, Rodwell, Isais; Piscopo, Kuol, Boumal.

In the dugout

Xavi Hernandez.
The Barcelona legend returned to the club amid a crisis and has pulled them back into the Champions League and is undergoing a major rebuild. It begins here in Sydney. He’s vowed it will be treated seriously, stating “every minute with Barcelona is a privilege,” and promising to put on a show for fans.

Dwight Yorke.
The former Sydney FC and Manchester United star will oversee his first match as a head coach and could hardly face a tougher opponent. He’s had two training sessions with the All Stars, some of whom only came into camp on Monday after the weekend’s A-League semi-finals. Yorke has told his players they have nothing to lose and has encouraged them to take chances against the Catalan giants.

Players to watch

Dani Alves (Barcelona)
The 39-year-old Brazilian is not only the best of his generation but perhaps the best fullback of all time. Despite being in the twilight of his career, Alves is still sublime to watch. He has a knack of playing almost three positions in once, beginning at right back, drifting into the right wing before often cutting inside almost as a number ten.

Teenager Ansu Fati is on track to be a superstar of world football. Credit: AP

Ansu Fati (Barcelona)
The teenage sensation promises to become one of the world’s elite players. At the age of 19, he’s already played nearly 60 games in the Blaugrana jersey and has four appearances for Spain. He’s quick, dribbles superbly and has a good eye for goal. He may not be the biggest name in the touring party but those lucky enough to watch him may one day look back fondly on the time they saw him before he became a superstar.

Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona)
The Dutch midfielder operates at the centre of Barcelona’s possession-based game plan. Long seen as the successor to his coach, Xavi Hernandez, de Jong is a polished, composed mover of the ball. He glides across the park with a grace and swagger and has the softest of first touches.

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