Shanghai - Juventus full-back Dani Alves has admitted it was difficult to see his former team-mates at Barcelona suffer defeat against his current team.
The Bianconeri beat the Catalans 3-0 on aggregate after a 0-0 draw in the second leg of their quarter-final tie on Wednesday.
Alves spent eight trophy-laden years at Barcelona before moving to Juve at the start of the season, and has revealed how difficult it was to beat his old friends.
“It was tough, but I am happy for the club and my teammates,” he told reporters, according to Football Espana.
“This night does give me a bitter-sweet feeling, because coming here brings back so many good memories from my time in this stadium and to see your friends sad is an odd sensation.
“It’s painful, but this is part of our profession.
“Neymar? I told him that this is football, that’s just the way it is.
“I already told him that I didn’t want to take on Barcelona for all that we had gone through together, but that in these situations you have to leave feelings aside."