Barcelona veteran slams blackmail tactics on Dembele

FC Barcelona still finds itself in the middle of the Ousmane Dembele contract saga even after the January transfer window has come and gone. However, veteran defender Dani Alves thinks that the club should make the most out of the fact that the talented striker is still with them, instead of resorting to petty tactics.

Earlier in the season, it appeared as though Dembele was set to sign a contract extension with the Catalan giants. However, the player's camp was not satisfied with the offers that were put on the table, and an agreement was never reached. Barcelona then ostracised Dembele, with manager Xavi Hernandez leaving him out of matchday squads.

The Frenchman was warned that he would spend the remainder of the season off the pitch if he refuses to sign an extension or find another club. However, neither of these things happened and Dembele is still very much a Barcelona player at least until this summer when he is expected to leave on a free transfer.

Alves does not agree with the club's plan to keep Dembele in the stands for the remainder of the season. They have just signed Ferran Torres, Adama Traore and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, and it appears as though Xavi will be able to manage without the Frenchman.

Nevertheless, Alves thinks Barcelona should make use of all the assets available to them. "As long as he is still at Barcelona, we have to defend him. If he leaves at the end of the season, then fine... but there are still five months left and we have to take advantage of the fact that he is still here," Alves said, in an interview with Movistar+.

The veteran defender, who returned to the club earlier this season to help Xavi in his resurrection project, thinks that the club needs to set pride aside. "I think there are situations when you have to be smarter than your ego," he said adding, "We have to be smarter about the situation. We need to be as strong as possible, a joint effort from everyone."

Alves also thinks that it is important to have a healthy and positive atmosphere within the club as they strive to get back on top. Obviously, having ostracised players does not fit in with that objective.

"Negative things don't help you to grow, they don't help you to do things well. It's obvious that we have to create harmony within the dressing room and the club. At the end of the day, we are all representing Barcelona," he concluded.

It remains to be seen if Xavi will call up Dembele when the Blaugrana face defending La Liga champions Atletico Madrid on Sunday. Club president Joan Laporta has already wiped his hands clean of the situation, saying that the final decision will be on the manager.