De Ligt was reportedly wanted by a number of Europe's biggest clubs after a breakout season with Dutch giants Ajax Amsterdam, where the club reached the UEFA Champions League final.
Raiola revealed that Barcelona were under the illusion that de Light would join the club after his former Ajax teammate made a move to the Camp Nou.
"Barca thought: '(Frenkie) de Jong's coming, (De Ligt) will arrive as well," he told Voetbal International.
"They treated him like a piece of cheese, as we say. But the reasons they wanted him there were wrong... did they believe a player like Pique was going to leave his spot in the team?
"In Holland, they almost believe Barca are a Dutch club, not a foreign club, they saw this transfer almost as sacrilege, they thought he had to go there.
"De Ligt is not interested in money, he just wants to play. And Juve wanted him one year ago. And (De Ligt) told me: 'Mino, I want to go the Harvard of defending.' So that's why we chose Juve, to graduate."