In 2006, Real Madrid both came “very, very close” to signing Andrea Pirlo, with the Italian legend having talks to join Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona.
Between 2001 and 2011, Pirlo was a member of Milan, where he won two Serie A championships and two Champions League trophies.
However, the Rossoneri were one of five teams implicated in the Calciopoli scandal at the time for allegedly manipulating Serie A games.
This cast doubt on their ability to continue playing in Serie A and the Champions League as Pirlo won the 2006 World Cup with Italy, and a transfer to Real Madrid was on the verge of happening.
- Lionel Messi: PSG Preparing Contract Renewal Talks With Messi
- Kylian Mbappe Makes A Vow To France After 2022 World Cup Heartbreak
According to the former midfielder who spoke to FourFourTwo: “We had just won the World Cup, but we didn’t know what would happen.
“I was very, very close with Real Madrid. But then we got told that Milan could enter Champions League qualifying and be readmitted to Serie A.
“I was offered a new contract straight away and the club did a lot to keep me.”
Andrea Pirlo also had discussions with Barcelona and head coach Guardiola in 2010. “He called me in [to his office after the game] and started talking about how he wanted to play and how he would like me to join his team,” he recalled.
“For me, it was a source of pride, especially to talk to him and also to be compared to a Barcelona player. In the end, nothing happened, but being called by Guardiola into his office to talk was a wonderful experience.”
