SOMALINET NEWS ...Archives
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: ALVES DENIES REFUSING TO TRAVEL WITH SERVILLA SQUAD FOR TODAY’S MARCH August 28, 2007
(SomaliNet) Daniel Alves has denied he refused to travel with the Sevilla squad for Tuesday's Champions League third qualifying round second leg tie against AEK Athens.
Club president Jose Maria Del Nido had claimed the wing-back - who is keen to make a move elsewhere before the transfer window shuts on Friday - failed to turn for the journey to Greece on Monday morning.
But Alves insisted those claims are false, saying: "I want to make it clear that I have never refused to go on any trip.
"The coaching staff told me to train with the second team and I will fulfil these instructions.
"It will give me the chance to recover in the best way from the slight injury that prevented me from playing in the league game."
Alves was speaking in response to Del Nido's comments on Monday when the Sevilla supremo had accused the Brazil international of "lacking respect for his team-mates" adding that "the public will now know the professionalism of [Alves]".
The 24-year-old's relationship with Sevilla has soured since a dream move to Chelsea was scuppered by their refusal to accept a bumper £21.5 million bid for his services.
Alves missed the first leg of the tie with AEK, which Sevilla won 2-0 and was also absent from Saturday's 4-1 victory over Getafe on the opening day of the new season.-Eurosport