PIRLO – I COULD HAVE PLAYED AT BARCELONA

Italian football legend Andrea Pirlo has revealed that he could have lined up for the best team in the world in Barcelona if he wanted to.


The AC Milan legend said he rejected a potential move to join Pep Guardiola’s ‘perfect’ team.

Pirlo started his pro career through a host of Italian football clubs like Brescia, Inter Milan, and Reggina before he developed into a superstar at Milan following his big-money move. He was with the Rossoneri for a decade before he decided to leave. He moved to Serie A giant Juventus as he left in the pecking order at the San Siro.

Pirlo said that before his move to play for the Bianconeri, he could have moved to Nou Camp.

“When I was at Milan, we played a friendly game at the Camp Nou and after the game, Pep Guardiola called me into his office inside the stadium. He asked me if I would like to play under him at Barcelona. It was very nice for me, to have been asked to his office and told that. At that time, Milan would never have allowed me to leave though,” Pirlo said recently in an interview with L’Equipe.

The player also talked about the famous night in Istanbul when Liverpool upturned a three-goal deficit to win the Champions League.

“That Champions League final against Liverpool remains the worst experience of my career. I cried on the field, then returned to the dressing room and it was even worse. There was an atmosphere so surreal in there that I couldn’t even cry. Losing a Champions League final after being 3-0 up at half-time is really bad. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone,” he said.

Pirlo left Juve in 2015 after their Champions League final loss to Barcelona. He moved to the Major League Soccer where he features for New York City FC.