Football
ESPN staff 8y

Dani Alves calls Alexis Sanchez a 'beast,' but he didn't fit at Barcelona

Dani Alves has suggested Alexis Sanchez did not understand Barcelona's style of play, though he remains a "great player" after moving to Arsenal.

Sanchez scored 38 goals in 88 games for Barcelona between 2011 and 2014, but then moved to the Premier League once Barca brought in Luis Suarez.

But according to Alves, the Chilean -- who will face his former teammates in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday -- needed more than pure talent to excel at the Camp Nou.

"Alexis didn't fail at Barcelona but it's hard to play here because you have to understand the playing idea," Alves told the Daily Mail.

"He's a great player and I always knew that he would be a success when he left, especially if he went somewhere he would be the protagonist. He's the kind of player who needs that.

"In the end, you are going to have the protagonism anyway but you have to understand that, at Barcelona, it's not enough just to be a great player.

"You need to have a great understanding of the way Barcelona play and, if you do, then you will have a long career here.

"Those that come and go, that doesn't mean they are bad players. They go somewhere else and they enjoy it because they are beasts, but at Barcelona it's not enough just to be a beast of a player."

Alves also said he would like to follow Sanchez's example and play in the Premier League before the end of his career.

The 32-year-old is under contract at Barcelona until 2017, with an option for a further year, but he is not ruling out a move to England.

"I have always said that playing in England is something I have got pending," Alves told the Guardian. "It's special, there's a corner and it's like it's a goal. I don't know when but I'd like to play there, to experience in person what I see from the sofa.

"The way the people live football -- wow, it's incredible -- full stadiums, living every moment."

But the Brazilian laughed when asked if former Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola would ask him to join his move to Manchester City this summer.

"I don't think he'd call me," Alves said.

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