Copa del Rey: Dani Alves ready for Deportivo clash

 

Dani Alves is poised to finally make is second debut for Barcelona after the club received confirmation of the right-back’s registration.

Alves, 38, returned to the Nou Camp in November five years after his first stint with the Catalan giants came to an end.

But Barcelona could not register the defender until the LaLiga registration window opened on January 3.

The Brazilian will be available for Barcelona’s trip to Linares Deportivo in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday.

Alves had been included in the squad list to face Linares on Wednesday morning but had an asterisk next to his name, signalling that he was awaiting confirmation of his registration.

Soon after, the club posted to their official Twitter account that the Spanish FA had confirmed the registration and Alves is now expected to make his debut on Wednesday night.

The veteran had made is unofficial debut in a friendly against Boca Juniors in December just one month after rejoining the LaLiga side.

Alves played for Barcelona between 2008 and 2016, picking up six LaLiga titles, three Champions League crowns and three Club World Cup trophies among other major honours.

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He returned to the club in November and reunited with his former team-mate and Barca manager, Xavi, after terminating his contract with Sao Paulo.

Following his trophy-laden spell at Barcelona, six more pieces of silverware in two seasons at PSG followed for Alves, after he won the double in his one and only season at Juventus.

He went on to join his boyhood club Sao Paulo on a free transfer in August 2019 and became the best-paid footballer in South America.