In the midst of a busy summer of 2016 in the transfer market, one move for Juventus went largely under the radar.
Their massive money, controversial capture of Gonzalo Higuain understandably grabbed much of the headlines, given the nature of that particular deal.
Snapping up Miralem Pjanic from Serie A title rivals Roma was also the subject of much attention, while the capture of hot prospect Marko Pjaca was an exciting market move from the Italian champions.
In total, they paid over €160 million in transfer fees alone aside from the capture of an ageing defender, Dani Alves, who arrived from Barcelona on a free.
At the time, it seemed like a good piece of business for the Bianconeri, adding to a defence that was so stacked that it had defender Patrice Evra joking on social media during pre-season that the club may be forced into playing a nine-man back-line, such was their embarrassment of riches.
It has certainly paid off for the Old Lady as the affable Brazilian, who instantly became one of the most popular figures in the dressing room, has helped put his new club within 90 minutes of ending their long wait for Champions League glory.
That, after all, is why the likes of Alves, Pjanic and Higuain were recruited. Domestic dominance has become a given for the Turin club in recent seasons but European glory continues to elude them.
An accusation like that can’t be levelled at their star right-back. The 34-year-old won three continental trophies during his time at Sevilla and only added to that haul at the Camp Nou, where he picked up three Champions League titles and added to it with Super Cup and Club World Cup titles on each occasion.
More than most, Dani Alves lives for the big occasion and revels in high stakes, high pressure games, which explains why he has had such a successful career at the top level.
Even at the age of 34, there are absolutely no signs whatsoever that the attack-minded full-back is showing any signs of slowing down as he closes in on a fourth Champions League winners’ medal.
The Brazil international has been a huge part of the Old Lady’s success this season and run to the final in Cardiff, where they aim to end a two-decade wait for glory in the continent’s premier club competition.
For the first time in his career, he has scored three goals in one Champions League campaign and has also chipped in with four assists to be directly involved in seven goals in the competition, which is more than any other defender.
It was during crunch time at the semi-final stage in particular that he stood up to be counted. His delightful back heel in the first leg in Monaco caught the defence on their heels and set up Gonzalo Higuain to fire in the opening goal of the tie.
He provided a perfect cross for the Argentine in the second half to double Juve’s lead and claim two assists in one Champions League game for the first time.
Even then, Alves wasn’t done and after Mario Mandzukic had hit the net in the return leg at the Juventus Stadium, a speculative but well-taken volley from the right-back ended any lingering hopes Monaco may have had of turning the tie around.
His celebration summed up his character as the defender seemed surprisingly unsure of how to behave for a change but the reaction of the crowd and his teammates showed the regard he is held in.
Off the field, social media presence, with the Brazilian always happy to entertain even if the results are somewhat bizarre, coupled with his class on the pitch have endeared him to anyone of a Bianconeri persuasion.
Just don’t remind Barcelona, who he shut out and performed outstandingly against in the quarter-final, that they allowed him to walk away for free.
It is a decision that they may regret for some time.
