Dani Alves slams Barcelona board and explains truth behind fights with Cristiano Ronaldo

Dani Alves has admitted that the treatment received by the current Barcelona board was the main reason behind his summer departure from the Nou Camp to Juventus. Meanwhile, the Brazil international also slammed Jose Mourinho during a candid interview in which the right-back also discuss his relationship with Real Madrid ace Cristiano Ronaldo.

Alves, 33, joined Barcelona from Sevilla in 2008 and quickly became into a crucial player for the Catalan side, helping them to win three Champions Leagues, six La Liga titles and four Copa del Rey crowns.

However, his position at the club came under some scrutiny during his last years at the club and, in the summer of 2015, the Brazilian even said that had "one foot, half a body and almost a head" out of Barcelona during a controversial press conference.

The full-back finally renewed his deal at Barcelona but in the summer of 2016 decided to join Juventus, as his contract included a break clause which allowed him to leave Nou Camp as a free agent at the end of the 2015-16 campaign.

Alves has now explained the decision during a long interview with ABC after also slamming Mourinho for his "dirty" work at Real Madrid.

Asked whether the Spanish football is better now without the tension generated during the days of Pep Guardiola and Mourinho, Alves replied: "The Real Madrid managed by Mourinho did not know how to lose. They played dirty."

And when asked whether Barcelona also played dirty with him, the Juventus star said: "I like to feel wanted and if I'm not, I'll leave," about his Camp Nou departure. "Leaving Barca on a free was like a blow for the board. During my final three seasons I always heard that 'Alves was leaving,' but the directors never said anything to my face. They were very false and ungrateful. They did not respect me. I was only offered a new deal when the FIFA transfer ban came in."

"That was when I played them at their own game and signed a deal with a termination clause. Those who run Barcelona today have no idea how to treat their players."

The Juventus star also had a tense relationship with Ronaldo during his days at Barcelona. However, Alves now explained that he eventually admires the Real Madrid ace and that everything was blown up by the press.

"All my fights with Cristiano were because of the press. If people only knew how much I respect Cristiano Ronaldo. I will repeat it to make myself clear: I respect Cristiano Ronaldo. Everybody tell me that Cristiano is a great professional. When I said he always wanted the limelight, that when you win you are going to be the star but when you lose they will go for you, I said it in a very respectful way," Alves said.

"And I think the same of Lionel Messi or Neymar. My thoughts were not negative. What happens is that the press sold them differently, saying that I had spoken ill of him. And Ronaldo believed it. That's why he didn't say hello to me in the Ballon D'or gala in 2015."