Alves: “we are improving with every game”

Jesús Carrillo

Speaking before Tuesday’s game in Copenhagen, Dani Alves believes the team are “gradually improving with every game and there’ll be no going back - we are heading for the highest level”.

The Brazilian full back is convinced that the team’s improvement will continue against the Danish champions, but “we shouldn’t look beyond tomorrow’s game – we’ll have to come out fired up, just like we did against Seville, with determination, with our style of play and our football”.

Focussed
There’s no room for mistakes in the Champions League and Alves reckons: “if you get it wrong here, you’ll pay a high price, we really do have to be more focussed than ever. I don’t think the result was in danger when we played them at home, even though N’Doye hit the post, but we do have to very careful with a number of things on Tuesday. We can’t just look at their keeper, or their defence, midfield or attack – they have some interesting players throughout the team and they play as a team too. They are very well organised and it’ll be a tough game for us”.

Fitness
Alves refused to put the team’s improvement down to improved fitness: “we are physically fit at the moment and we have been for a few weeks now. You shouldn’t confuse physical preparation with bad luck, which is what affected us in front of goal in a few games. We were fine and we still are”.

Attacking role
Quizzed about his recent attacking role, Alves explained: “what happens is that our opponents are playing with just one man up front, with maybe a second joining in from midfield. That means the boss has to look for different attacking options and fortunately that I play in a more advanced position. You always have to look for something new to surprise your opponents”.