Barcelona icon Jordi Alba has hit out at the club for presumably agreeing to sell him to Inter when the 33-year-old actually wants to stay put at Blaugrana, where he has been for a decade. The veteran fullback has endured a difficult start to the season, with coach Xavi Hernandez routinely picking teenage talent Alejandro Balde over him in recent La Liga matches.
The Spanish giants advertently looked to offload him in the summer transfer window, coming close to sending him to Inter, only for the Italians to deny any deal between them.
Speaking at a promotional event for Adidas (via Sport), the experienced defender shrugged away links of a potential exit from Camp Nou.
“I can tell you that I’ve always thought to stay at Barcelona, I see myself qualified to be here for the years remaining on my contract.”
He went to poke Barcelona’s handling of proceedings.
“I have shown a lot of dedication to the club and my colleagues. In the end, the decision is up to the brass, they are what they are. There are many vested interests, but I will never get into that issue. I am 100 percent committed and that’s it. I’d like to tell you more but I’m not going to go into that subject”.
Alba was clearly not impressed with how Barca contacted Inter without his knowledge for a loan move, only for it to crash down as the transfer window deadline approached.
“It’s not about whether it seems fair or not, the situation is what it is. In the end, I think everyone acts as they want and in that sense I can’t tell you how I act. I am a man who likes to do things openly. I like to go toe-to-toe with everyone. Everyone doesn’t like it, but I’m like that. I can’t say anything more. I think things can be handled better, but nothing surprises me anymore with everything I’ve seen in football.”
Alba has a contract valid until the summer of 2024, as he looks to complete his five-year deal having last extended it in February 2019. He has 433 appearances for the Blaugrana.
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