Dani Alves says emotional goodbye to Barcelona

Dani Alves has confirmed he’s leaving Barcelona for a second time after the Catalan giants opted against offering the 39-year-old a new contract.

The Brazilian returned to Barcelona in January on a free transfer and it had looked for a while as though he would continue but the veteran has now confirmed his time is up.

Alves wrote a typically charismatic and emotional goodbye on Instagram where he made it crystal clear just how much he has loved being back at the Camp Nou this season.

“Dear cules... Now it’s time to say goodbye. It was 8+ years dedicated to this club, to those colors... but like everything in life, the years go by, the paths deviate and the stories are written for sometime in different places - and so it was,” he wrote.

“They tried to send me away but they couldn’t do it, for you cannot imagine, or can you, how resilient I am. Many years passed until football and life which as always, are very grateful to those who respect them, decided to give me the opportunity to come back here so I can say goodbye. But not a goodbye without first thanking everyone behind the spotlight, everyone who makes our thing perfect, to all of them; THANK YOU.

“I would also like to thank all the staff for the opportunity they gave me to return to this club and be able to wear again that wonderful shirt, you don’t know how happy I am…. I hope you don’t miss my madness and my daily happiness.

“I hope also those who stay change the history of that beautiful club, I wish it from the bottom of my heart. There were 23 titles achieved: 2 triplets, 1 sixteen and a big golden book written! A very beautiful cycle closes and a more challenging cycle opens. May the world never forget: A LION EVEN AT 39 YEARS OLD IS STILL A GOOD CRAZY LEONNNN. Forever LONG LIVE BARÇA!”

Barcelona appear to have decided against offering Alves a new deal as they are already well covered at right-back with Sergino Dest and Sergi Roberto around.

The Catalans are also thought to still be keen on bringing in Cesar Azpilicueta from Chelsea before the start of the 2022-23 campaign.

Goodbye and good luck to the one and only Dani Alves, a true legend.