Andrea Pirlo has given his side of the story regarding his AC Milan exit, admitting that it does bother him that he is considered a traitor by many.
Two former team-mates in Massimo Ambrosini and Pirlo met in Istanbul, the city where the latter is the head coach of Fatih Karagümrük, and the duo retraced their journey with the Rossoneri shirt together.
Pirlo spoke in an interview for Prime Video with Ambrosini and he revealed some of the background on how he ended up leaving Milan for bitter rivals Juventus, with whom he signed on a free transfer and went on to win several trophies.
“They wanted to give me a one-year contract because for players over 30 – like you too, Sandro and Rino, they did one year of contract – they had this way of seeing things. We never agreed on this idea because I wanted to stay there much longer,” he said (via Corriere della Sera).
“We know the tears we shed. I would have stayed at Milan all my life. I left for many reasons but not because I wanted more money or wanted to go elsewhere. I thought I deserved more years of contract being the youngest player. I thought I had the opportunity to be there for another few years.”
Pirlo began his club career in 1995 as an attacking midfielder with hometown club Brescia before moving to Inter where he saw limited game time and was sent on loan multiple times. He then joined Milan in 2001 winning two Serie A titles, two UEFA Champions Leagues, two UEFA Super Cups, a FIFA Club World Cup, a Coppa Italia, and a Supercoppa Italiana.
However, he left for Juventus in 2011 on a free transfer, where he won four consecutive Serie A titles, two Supercoppa Italiana titles, and another Coppa Italia, with many considering it an unforgivable act.
He is not a traitor for leaving. Pirlo is a traitor because he took every opportunity to talk sh** about Milan after he left the club. I don’t care how he felt about the leadership at the time. Milan gave him Champions League glory. Milan made him a legend in football and he should’ve been more grateful for that. Plenty of legends have reason to be mad about the way they had to leave the club, but they never talk bad about Milan. That’s the difference. Ambrosini has every right to be disappointed for example, but he’s always been really respectful about his time at Milan and the legacy afterwards. That’s how you do it.
Exactly!
I have been blaming Allegri for his exit.
Now I know.
Well Allegri played a role too. He preferred a much more physical player on the Pirlo’s position; such as Van Bommel. Pirlo was even deployed on the wide mezzala role. So the situation didn’t help either.
When Ancelotti deployed Pirlo as deep lying playmaker alongside Seedorf & Gattuso it was one of the best times of my life! That team was awesome and Pirlo was pure class. He will never be a traitor to me , even though it was so irritating to see him in Black & white!All is forgiven for those wonderful 10 years of football he gave us.
Never had , never will have any issue with Pirlo. One of the best players in Milan history and a club legend forever.
If you don’t want him or value him enough you have no right to be mad what team he went to play after you pushed him out.
Same goes with his comments about Real Madrid. It’s not like he was dreaming of playing for Man City or PSG. The man wanted to play for the only club in the world bigger than Milan. No issues there at all.
Plus no one noticed any difference in his effort on the field after the transfer didn’t go thru, until he wrote that in his autobiography. Instead of being mad at Galliani and Berlusconi, people chose the easy way to be mad at Pirlo .
Great player, probably top 5 best Italian player ever
Galliani’s biggest c**k up of his time at Milan was letting Pirlo leave – the greatest midfielder of his generation.
I remember the day he announced he’s leaving. I punched the door so hard I made a hole in it. Man I was pissed at Galliani.
I blame Galliani and Allegri. Pirlo deserves more than one year contract but they treated him unfair.
even Maldini got 1 year contracts and these geniuses think we need to break the policy for crybaby Pirlo who himself admitted he wanted to leave mutliple times since 2007
Thank god match going fans dont forget
Maldini retired at 41 and he was getting 1 year contracts in his late 30s when he couldn’t stay healthy for 3 games in a row.
Pirlo left Milan at 31 still in his prime and he showed that by winning 3 MVPs in a row.
Big difference., something that he actually explains in the article above.
Were you one of those “match going fans” that bood Maldini when he was retiring after spending his whole life as a Milan player?
i like how you forgot he was more or less injured for 90% of his last season here because it doesnt fit your agenda
He played like crap in his final years here, he was clearly unhappy, stop falling for his crocodile tears, he literally wrote in his own book that he would’ve drove himself to Madrid if he could, ask Maldini Nesta Costacurta Seedorf Gattuso Ambrosini that question see if they say the same
I do not blame Pirlo. I blame Allegri, he is the traitor because he was not playing Pirlo because he was not producing. I also blame Galliani that gave the OK to sell to Juventus. And what happened Allegri wen to Juventus. Funny!!!!
Blame Allegri not Pioli. He should have been treated better. He was 30 not 40 lol and still highly productive as evidenced by all his success at Juve. Was a stupid move not to resign him. Those who call him a traitor are pure fools.
Wdym pioli?
did you have a stroke?
Pioli had nothing to do with Milan in 2011
wtf
Always wondered why Andrea Pirlo was deemed surplus to needs and released by Allegri only for the same coach one year later to play the Juve team with him as the centre piece for 3 years. Max Allegri was the traitor not Andrea Pirlo. I still have his glorious jersey with the 21 in my collection to pass on to my boy when he grows up and joins the red and black ranks. Funny, I aways tell him he can be a doctor, lawyer cop or even a stripper for all I care. Long as he’s a Milan fan..lol
The problem was not Gallian or the club. This was the time when FFP was beginning to bite hard. The sales of Kaka and Thiago Silva was Berlu and Gallian’s way of bringing down the budget while propping some cash into the club. It’s not sustainable so it was always an uphill struggle right up to the time Berlu sold.
“I would have stayed at Milan all my life”
This guy is so full of it…
Just read his book where he wrote that all the time he was at Milan he wanted to leave for Barca. Even visited Pep after UCL games to talk to him about it.
He didnt like the policy, he wanted to leave Milan, he went to Juve, he achieved there – good for him!!!
Just be a man about it. Own up to your decision and stop blaming the whole world.
Yes you’re right…
I don’t even read his book… I’m already mad of the situation back then…
But I believe Pirlo is not as “Milanista” as other legends.
But why our management let him join Juve??? I really don’t understand what is in Galliani’s head at that time…wtf
It was after he had a really bad season. I understand the decision, even though it turned out to be wrong.
Or maybe he just needed a change of scenery. I wouldn’t recomend reading his book (mostly waste of time), but he was very unsettled in Milan. Its obvoius after reading it that he thought A LOT of himself and had a huge ego (even though it didnt show).
I think he probably couldnt bare not being a superstar at the club. In Juve he came in as a savior and that suited him and lifted him mentally.