Andrea Pirlo returns to background linked to Real Madrid and Barcelona

Andrea Pirlo explains how things went in 2006 and 2010

That Andrea Pirlo was very close to landing at Real Madrid in the summer of 2006 and at Barcelona in 2010 è history is well known but less well known are the backgrounds related to those failed landings. Interviewed by 'Radio TV Serie A with RDS', the current Sampdoria coach è ideally climbed into the time machine to explain how things actually went.

"It was the period of Calciopoli,” he said, speaking of the failed move to the Blancos, “we had just won the World Cup and it was not clear how Serie A would restart. I had already signed the contract with Real Madrid when on the first day of training camp with Milan they told us that we would restart from Serie A with a penalty, so in agreement with my attorney and Galliani I signed with Milan".

In 2010, on the other hand, the key was the arrival of Zlatan Ibrahimovic: "During the Gamper trophy (which Barça won on penalties against Milan, ed) I was called by Guardiola to his office because he wanted me at Barcelona, but in the meantime the idea and the possibility of Ibra coming to Milan was also materializing. In the end, Ibra came; and I remained lì too".

The farewell to AC Milan became concrete at the next contract expiration, in 2011: that summer began the experience at Juventus, which brought four Scudetti, two Italian Super Cups and one Coppa Italia to Pirlo’s trophy cabinet. "This è was a revenge for me,” Pirlo said. “I had a great desire to prove to everyone that I was still a strong player and capable of still playing at a high level, and with Juve I won four championships and we made it to a Champions" final.