Andrea Pirlo

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Andrea Pirlo: Serie A has had major drop in quality

The Italian midfielder has commented on the general standard of the league,

as well as Juve's ambitions for the season ahead.

Aug 31, 2011

Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo has spoken openly about the standard of Serie A, and believes there has been a major drop in quality within the league.

Despite the likes of AC Milan and Inter being amongst the heavyweights in the Champions League and Serie A, Pirlo believes that the overall level of the Italian top-flight was low.

Speaking with La giornalaccio rosa dello Sport, the 32-year-old stated: "There are better and more competitive leagues than ours. We have had a major drop in quality and we'll have to work hard to get back up there."

Pirlo also expressed his understanding of the current strike action, which has pushed the start of the season back to September 11, and revealed that the players were desperate to get the campaign underway.

"We wanted to play, some others didn't," he said.

"The players did everything in their power to play the matches as scheduled, [but] the clubs decided otherwise."

With the Serie A campaign now due to kick-off after the international period, Pirlo commented on what his new club, Juventus, had planned for the campaign ahead.

The playmaker moved to Turin from AC Milan during the summer, and stated: "The main objective is to try and win something as well as qualifying for next year's Champions League. We really want to close the gap on AC Milan, who are the team to beat today, as are Inter ... we are working hard for this very reason."

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Criscito: 'Faroes pressured Pirlo'

Sep 2, 2011

Domenico Criscito argues the Faroe Islands found Italy

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Zola eager to see Pirlo

Sep 6, 2011

Gianfranco Zola believes that Andrea Pirlo has made the right decision in leaving Milan for Juventus.

After a decade with the Rossoneri, the midfielder moved to Turin at the end of last season on a free transfer.

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Pirlo: 'I wanted Juve challenge'

Sep 11, 2011

Andrea Pirlo shone on his Juventus debut and explains why he

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Buffon hails Pirlo swoop

Sep 12, 2011

Gigi Buffon has revealed that he thanked Milan Vice-President Adriano Galliani for allowing Andrea Pirlo to join Juventus.

The midfielder left the Rossoneri in favour of a switch to Juve after his San Siro contract came to an end.

The Bianconeri are already benefiting from his arrival after he set up two goals in the club

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It was very important for Juventus to start with a win - Andrea Pirlo

The experienced midfielder has stressed that it was crucial for the Turin giants

to get off to a winning start in the 2011-12 campaign.

Sep 12, 2011

Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo has expressed his delight with his side's good start to the season, after they recorded a 4-1 home win over Parma on Saturday.

The former AC Milan man impressed on his official debut for the Turin side as he provided two assists.

And the veteran playmaker has underlined the importance of making a good start at a new club.

"Of course it was important to start well and play a game like that in front of our fans," Pirlo was quoted as saying on the club's official website.

"It

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Pirlo is comparable to Gianni Rivera - Adelio Moro

The ex-Brescia assistant feels his one-time protege has developed into a player of a similar ilk

to the Italy legend, and expects him to be a major success at his new club.

Sep 13, 2011

Former Brescia assistant Adelio Moro has claimed that Andrea Pirlo is the closest thing Italy have had to legendary ex-AC Milan midfielder Gianni Rivera.

The 50-year-old is of the opinion that his former player is the natural heir to the former national team midfielder, and will also prove to be an astute piece of business by the Old Lady in his eyes.

"His performance in the Juventus Parma game displayed even more of the attacking qualities he possesses, and even now when he has the ability to support an attack, he has talent I had only seen in Gianni Rivera [until now]," he told the radio show Radio Sport.

"He told me he slept last season, and I hope this move to Turin will allow him to extend his career. However, what is certain is that he is the right man at the right time for Juventus."

The coach was Mircea Lucescu's right-hand man at Brescia between 1991 and 1995, and he proceeded to tell the radio show about his promising experiences with the 32-year-old and when he took the role of caretaker after the Romanian's departure.

"We all expected it [Pirlo's breakthrough], I was [Mircea] Lucescu's deputy at Brescia, but then he was sacked and I coached him for the next seven days," he said. "I gave him a start against Reggiana, where he impressed me with his personality and had exceptional vision as well as a unique technique."

According to Moro, Pirlo's big break came under the stewardship of Carlo Mazzone, who brought him back on loan at Brescia, and it was there where he truly began to flourish, after being handed a deeper, more mature role.

"His career changed when Inter loaned him back to Brescia, and it was here where a great master like [Carlo] Mazzone was there to guide him," he continued.

"It was he who first moved Pirlo into central midfield and allowed him to express his truest footballing qualities. He used to play just behind the strikers and probably could not express himself fully."

Rivera is considered one of the game's most gifted deep-lying playmakers to have graced a football pitch, having appeared in four World Cups and given 19 years of outstanding service to the Serie A champions between 1960 and 1979.

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Colomba: Pirlo is Barca quality

Sep 13, 2011

Andrea Pirlo is the only Italian player worthy of a place in the Barcelona side, says Parma boss Franco Colomba.

Pirlo impressed on his Juventus debut on Sunday as he masterminded the Bianconeri

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Lo Monaco: 'Juve are Pirlo-dependent'

Sep 26, 2011

Catania's Pietro Lo Monaco has suggested that Juventus are dependent on Andrea Pirlo in the wake of his team's 1-1 draw with the Turin side.

The Elefanti sporting director was speaking after watching his team successfully hold Juve on Sunday afternoon.

Part of Montella's tactics focused on placing a man-marker on Pirlo, who up until facing the Rossazzurri, had been influential to the Bianconeri's recent performances.

Lo Monaco, however, suggested the influence is developing into an over-reliance, when also reflecting on Catania's performance.

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AC Milan made an error letting Pirlo join Juventus - Albertini

The ex-San Siro favourite, who spent 14 years there, feels the Italy international

should have been kept on the club's books rather than being allowed to leave freely.

Oct 2, 2011

Demetrio Albertini believes AC Milan's decision to let Andrea Pirlo slip through their fingers and join Juventus could backfire when the teams meet in Serie A on Sunday if he plays.

Pirlo left the champions at the end of last season following an illustrious 10-year career at San Siro and moved to Turin on a free deal.

But Albertini, a former Milan midfielder and current vice president of the Italian FA (FIGC) believes his old club could regret their decision not to keep him on board.

"Milan taught me that you can make mistakes when you buy players, not sell them. What a mistake, getting rid of Pirlo," Albertini told Tuttosport.

"We are talking about a unique and irreplaceable player in Pirlo."

Massimiliano Allegri's men signed Alberto Aquilani on loan from Liverpool with a view to making it a permanent deal as Pirlo's substitute.

However, the Italian feels what the former Inter ace brought to the champions has dried up, regardless of replacements.

"Mark Van Bommel, Alberto Aquilani and Massimo Ambrosini are all different players," he said.

The Serie A showdown kicks-off at Juventus Arena in Turin at 19:45 (CET).

Pirlo, 32, is in doubt for the game after picking up a knock to his knee in Saturday's training session, but he was not excluded from the squad.

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Pirlo 'proud' of Azzurri performance

Oct 7, 2011

Andrea Pirlo was

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Fabio Cannavaro: Pirlo is making the difference at Juventus

The World Cup winning captain has emphasised the deep-lying playmaker's importance

for the Turin side, and says Napoli are their biggest rivals for the Serie A title.

Oct 7, 2011

Former Juventus centre-back Fabio Cannavaro has pinpointed Andrea Pirlo as the fulcrum of head coach Antonio Conte's team.

Cannavaro, a World Cup winner alongside Pirlo in 2006, has hailed his former international team-mate and questioned the wisdom of AC Milan's decision to let him leave on a free transfer during the summer.

"Pirlo is providing an added value for Juventus, but has also left a huge gap at Milan," Cannavaro was quoted as saying by Tuttosport.

The retired Italy international then voiced his opinion that Napoli may prove to be Juventus' biggest rivals for the title this season.

"When you beat Inter you have nothing to prove. Napoli have impressed me with the personality with which they play. I am convinced that will continue to tell for them until the end [of the season]."

Juventus will hope that Pirlo returns to Turin fit and fresh to resume the Serie A season following his involvement in Italy's final Euro 2012 qualifiers against Serbia and Northern Ireland.

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Gullit on Pirlo-less Milan

Oct 10, 2011

Ruud Gullit has become the latest former Milan player to criticise the club

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Pirlo still key for Prandelli

Oct 11, 2011

Italy boss Cesare Prandelli has underlined the importance of Andrea Pirlo to his Azzurri side ahead of tonight

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Caps: Pirlo catches Nesta and Scirea

Oct 11, 2011

Andrea Pirlo's 78th cap put him on a par with former Milan teammate Alessandro Nesta and the great Gaetano Scirea.

Caps - Name - Club

136 Fabio Cannavaro Parma 61, Inter 19, Juventus 20, Real Madrid 26, Juventus

126 Paolo Maldini Milan

112 Dino Zoff Napoli 19, Juve 93

110 Gigi Buffon* Parma 35, Juventus

97 Gianluca Zambrotta* Bari 2, Juventus 56, Barcelona 17, Milan

94 Giacinto Facchetti Inter

91 Alessandro Del Piero* Juventus

81 Franco Baresi Milan

81 Giuseppe Bergomi Inter

81 Marco Tardelli Juve 80, Inter 1

79 Demetrio Albertini Milan

78 Alessandro Nesta Lazio 48, Milan

78 Andrea Pirlo* Milan 73, Juventus

78 Gaetano Scirea Juventus

74 Giancarlo Antognoni Fiorentina

73 Antonio Cabrini Juventus

73 Gennaro Gattuso Milan

71 Claudio Gentile Juventus

70 Alessandro Mazzola Inter

68 Daniele De Rossi* Roma

66 Tarcisio Burgnich Inter

64 Francesco Graziani Torino 47, Fiorentina 17

63 Franco Causio Juve 57, Udinese 6

63 Roberto Donadoni Milan 59, Metro Stars NY 4

61 Alessandro Altobelli Inter

60 Gianni Rivera Milan

60 Dino Baggio Inter 1, Juventus 19, Parma 40

59 Umberto Caligaris Casale 37, Juve 22

59 Alessandro Costacurta Milan

59 Gianluca Vialli Sampdoria 56, Juve 3

58 Walter Zenga Inter

58 Francesco Totti Roma

57 Filippo Inzaghi* Atalanta 1, Juventus 31, Milan

57 Christian Panucci Milan 16, Real Madrid 13, Inter 4, Roma 24

56 Roberto Baggio Fiorentina 13, Juve 31, Milan 2, Bologna 6, Inter 3, Brescia 1

55 Romeo Benetti Juventus 22, Milan 29, Roma 4

55 Mauro Camoranesi* Juventus

54 Fernando De Napoli Avellino 5, Napoli 49

53 Giuseppe Meazza Ambrosiana-Inter

52 Virginio Rosetta Pro Vercelli 10, Juventus 42

50 Fulvio Collovati Milan 33, Inter 17

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Prandelli reiterates how important Pirlo is to Italy

The head coach has taken the time to praise the experienced midfielder's

impressive performances for the national side.

Oct 12, 2011

Italy coach Cesare Prandelli has praised Juventus playmaker Andrea Pirlo's influence on his team following the 3-0 defeat of Northern Ireland in Group C of the Euro 2012 qualifiers in Pescara on Tuesday night.

Pirlo has been in superb form since joining Juventus from AC Milan in the summer, and played an important role in Italy's qualification for next year's tournament in Poland and Ukraine.

And the former Fiorentina boss insists the 32-year-old midfielder plays a crucial role in his team's fortunes.

"It would be very difficult to give up a player like Pirlo," Prandelli told Tuttosport.

"Nobody makes time and space to play like him, while his presence reassures his team-mates."

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Fabio Cannavaro: Andrea Pirlo's transfer to Juventus

has shifted the balance of power in Serie A

The retired defender has praised the impact his former Italy international team-mate

has had on the Vinovo club and believes he is capable of leading them to the title.

Oct 13, 2011

Former Juventus star Fabio Cannavaro says Andrea Pirlo is the player capable of making the difference in the Serie A title race this season.

The Turin giants are currently top of the table having picked up 11 points from their opening five games, and Cannavaro believes that they are capable of maintaining their early season form with the deep-lying playmaker in midfield.

"The transfer of Andrea Pirlo from AC Milan to Juventus shifted the balance in Serie A," Cannavaro told Tuttosport.

"He is 32 years of age, and at that age I won the Ballon d'Or.

"The beginning of the season with Juventus and Italy is surprising only to those who underestimated one of the strongest players in the world throughout the last decade."

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Cannavaro hails Pirlo impact

October 13, 2011

Former Juventus star Fabio Cannavaro says Andrea Pirlo is the player capable of making the difference in the Serie A title race this season.

Turin giants Juventus lead Serie A having picked up 11 points from their opening five games, and Cannavaro believes that Antonio Conte's side are capable of maintaining their early season form with the deep-lying playmaker in midfield.

"The transfer of Andrea Pirlo from AC Milan to Juventus shifted the balance in Serie A," Cannavaro told Tuttosport.

"He is 32 years of age, and at that age I won the Ballon d'Or."

"The beginning of the season with Juventus and Italy is surprising only to those who underestimated one of the strongest players in the world throughout the last decade."

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Trezeguet: Pirlo has turned Juventus into title contenders

Nov 2, 2011

David Trezeguet believes Juventus can win the Scudetto this season.

The former Juve star is now playing in Abu Dhabi and says he is excited by what he's seen from Antonio Conte's team this season.

"I follow Juventus and I can tell you that the league is possible because Conte is working very well.

"Andrea Pirlo in the middle of the field makes the difference and their rivals seem to be falling away," said Trezeguet.

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Lippi: "Juventus benefit from Pirlo influence"

Nov 2, 2011

Marcello Lippi says Juventus need the influence of Andrea Pirlo.

Lippi believes the capture of Pirlo from AC Milan over the summer was a vital move.

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Dunga: Andrea Pirlo is Juventus' true Brazilian

The former Selecao coach is full of praise for the deep-lying playmaker

and feels he plays like a South-American rather than a European.

Nov 16, 2011

Former Brazil coach Carlos Dunga has taken the time to praise Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo and has described the former AC Milan star as the Turin side's 'true Brazilian'.

The Bianconeri have regularly being linked with a move for Leandro Damiao, currently under contract with Internacional.

But Dunga has insisted that the Serie A giants already have a samba star in their ranks.

"Juventus have a Brazilian in their team - and it's not Amauri. I am talking about Andrea Pirlo. He's the most Brazilian player of all Europeans and is Juve's true Brazilian," Dunga was quoted as saying by Tuttosport.

"His positional sense, technique, rhythm and accurate passing. He's fantastic. He's the first player on the paper if I had to make a dream team.

"Like we say in Brazil: Pirlo has turned this Juventus into what they are now. You can see that his team-mates respect him as their new leader."

Juventus actually have two Brazil-born players under contract in striker Amauri and midfielder Felipe Melo, although the former has represented Italy at international level, while the latter is currently on loan at Galatasaray.

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Pirlo has samba style, notes Dunga

Nov 16, 2011

Italy and Juventus ace Andrea Pirlo is the

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Pirlo: Juve will win – at some point

Dec 5, 2011

Andrea Pirlo is convinced that Juventus have what is needed to get back to winning ways, but he’s making no promises for this season.

The Old Lady currently lead the standings by two points over Milan and Udinese, yet the Italian international is playing it cool.

“It’s still too soon to tell if we can win the Scudetto this season and, to be honest, I don’t even think we should be thinking about that yet,” he told FIFA.com.

“Juve have finished in seventh place for the past two seasons, so we need to keep our feet on the ground, keep working hard and continue playing the way we’ve been doing since the start of the campaign.”

The World Cup winner has been an instrumental figure in Turin since his Bosman free transfer from Milan during the summer.

“My contract was coming to an end and I felt the need to seek out new challenges, to win things in another club’s shirt,” he added.

“You know, after nine or 10 seasons with the same club you can find yourself losing your motivation, not having the same level of desire.

“I’m the one who made the decision – I wanted to experience something new. I think that I needed to move on.

“I feel very comfortable,” he continued. “The Juventus shirt is steeped in years of success and tradition.

“Pulling it on gives me a genuine sense of pride after so many years wearing the Milan jersey, which is similarly steeped in history and tradition. I’m very pleased, happy even.

“Right from the moment I arrived at Juve, I could immediately sense the club’s will to win, their determination to go as far as possible and as quickly as possible.

“From my personal experience, I think we’ve got all the ingredients for success. No other club would have been able to meet my expectations so well.

“Juve want to reign in Italy and Europe once more and that’s a challenge I want to be part of.”

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Andrea Pirlo: Juventus want to reign in Italy & Europe once more

The Italy international has stressed that the Old Lady are full of ambition,

but added that they're not getting carried away after their good start to the season.

Dec 5, 2011

Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo has stressed that the Bianconeri are determined to return to the pinnacle of Italian and European football in the not too distant future.

The Turin giants' last official Serie A title dates back to 2002-03, while they haven't won a major European trophy since lifting the Champions League trophy in 1995-96, but Pirlo feels the club are on the right path to return to the top.

"Juventus want to reign in Italy and Europe once more and that’s a challenge I want to be part of. Right from the moment I arrived at Juve, I could immediately sense the club’s will to win, the determination to go as far as possible as quickly as possible," Pirlo said to Fifa.com.

"The coach, the club and the players are all on the same wavelength. From my personal experience, I think we’ve got all the ingredients for success."

The playmaker then went on to discuss his side's chances of winning the Scudetto this term, and he stressed that the Bianconeri have to stay grounded.

"It’s still too soon to tell whether we can win the Serie A title and, to be honest, I don’t even think we should be thinking about that yet.

"Juve have finished in seventh place for the past two seasons, so we need to keep our feet on the ground, keep working hard and continue playing the way we’ve been doing since the start of the campaign."

Juventus currently top the Serie A table with 29 points from 13 games.

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Pirlo: I want a trophy with Juventus

Dec 5, 2011

AC Milan’s midfield string-puller-in-chief for some ten years, Andrea Pirlo certainly caused something of a stir this summer when leaving I Rossoneri for Serie A rivals Juventus. Making the switch even more piquant was the fact that the Italian international, a FIFA World Cup™ winner in 2006, was out of contract and cost Juve nothing in transfer fees.

“It’s the bargain of the century for us. Seeing him play in front of my backline, it made me realise that God does exist,” said his new club-mate Gianluigi Buffon, another key member of that triumphant Nazionale squad at Germany 2006, on a player who has to date won 72 senior caps and scored nine goals for his country.

Drawing a line under his time in Milan must have been tough for the 32-year-old, whose role as a deep-lying playmaker and ball-winner was a vital cog in the red-and-black machine. A veteran of 401 matches for the club, Pirlo collected two UEFA Champions League crowns, two Serie A titles and one FIFA Club World Cup success, among a host of other winners’ medals.

Yet after spending much of last season on the treatment table, the midfield schemer decided the moment was ripe for a fresh challenge and Italian football’s Vecchia Signora welcomed him to Turin with open arms. Three months on, during which Pirlo has already proved he has lost none of his world-class ability, the quietly spoken superstar generously made time for an interview with FIFA.com.

FIFA.com: Andrea, Michel Platini once said about you that “if Pirlo’s on song, everything else falls into place”. How are you enjoying life in your new club’s shirt?

Andrea Pirlo: I feel very comfortable. The Juventus shirt is steeped in years of success and tradition. Pulling it on gives me a genuine sense of pride after so many years wearing the Milan jersey, which is similarly steeped in history and tradition. I’m very pleased, happy even.

*You were part of the furniture at AC Milan, enjoying key-player status as a fans’ favourite. What made you decide to leave?

*My contract was coming to an end and I felt the need to seek out new challenges, to win things in another club’s shirt. I think that I needed to move on. You know, after nine or ten seasons with the same club you can find yourself losing your motivation, not having the same level of desire. I’m the one who made the decision: I wanted to experience something new. Right from the moment I arrived at Juve, I could immediately sense the club’s will to win, their determination to go as far as possible as quickly as possible. The coach, the club and the players are all on the same wavelength. From my personal experience, I think we’ve got all the ingredients for success. No other club would have been able to meet my expectations so well. Juve want to reign in Italy and Europe once more and that’s a challenge I want to be part of.

*How is your relationship with new boss Antonio Conte, who was as iconic a player for Juventus as you were at AC Milan?

*Very good. His footballing philosophy reminds me a little of Carlo Ancelotti, but he’s very similar to Marcello Lippi in the way he goes about his business. He sees the team as a unit that should always stay compact, and he believes that we shouldn’t get obsessed with moving the ball too quickly, as unless your technical ability is faultless that can often lead to mistakes.

*Given that you started out as a conventional No10, which coach had the inspirational idea to position you as a deep-lying playmaker?

*The idea came from Carlo Ancelotti, and I think that I was one of the first players to play that role out on the pitch. I don’t know if I’d call myself a pioneer, but from a tactical point of view it’s clear that playing in that role allows me to dictate the tempo of the whole team, to set the pace of the game. I feel particularly at home in the position. And it’s true that, even when I was just starting out (and playing as a No10), I tended to drift deep to get hold of the ball. That’s perhaps the reason why I feel so good in this position.

*Would it be fair to say that playing in a deeper role is also a better fit for your personality, since you’re quite a reserved character? Playmakers tend to be in the spotlight more...

*I’m quite simply a totally normal guy. And once I’m away from the pitch or the dressing room that’s where it ends for me, the rest is nobody else’s business. I’ve had the extremely good fortune to be able to do what I love most in the world for a job. But at the same time, because of the way I am, I’ve always been able to keep my feet on the ground – thanks to the help of my family and those closest to me.

*As a former No10, can you explain why fewer and fewer teams deploy someone in that role?

*There are a few youngsters coming through in that position, but coaches nowadays are looking for other characteristics – such as physical strength and speed. They matter, no doubt, but they're not the be-all and end-all.

*Johan Cruyff once said that “Pirlo can make his feet do whatever he wants. He’s a genius.” How does it feel to hear that?

*It is possible that I was born with a particular gift. But I still wouldn't have got to this level without a lot of hard work and sacrifice. I’m a fan of players with strong personalities and great technical ability. Above all I really have an appreciation for those players capable of dictating the tempo of matches and starting moves.

*How would someone go about becoming a set-piece expert like yourself?

*Every single day, ever since I first became a pro, I’ve stayed back after training to practice my set-piece taking. Nobody has ever forced me to, but it’s something I enjoy. I’d like young players to understand how important dead-ball situations can be, as they can often decide the outcome of a game. By practising them a little every day, you gain greater accuracy and a more delicate touch.

*What do you think of the view that the way you play has changed Italian football?

*Of course that’s nice to hear, but one player alone, however technically gifted he is, can’t change a whole playing system. I think it’s best to keep your feet on the ground and keep working hard.

*Which coach have you enjoyed the closest relationship with?

*Without taking anything away from all the great coaches that I’ve crossed paths with during my career, I think that I’ve felt most at home with Ancelotti. Why? It’s hard to explain. It’s probably down to the simple fact that we share similar character traits.

*Is there anything you regret about your career?

*It would be impossible not to have regrets: they’re part of the game. That said, I think that every disappointment or regret we experience helps us all grow as people and professionals and strengthens our characters.

*Finally, do you think this could be the season Juventus reclaim the Scudetto?

*It’s still too soon to tell and, to be honest, I don’t even think we should be thinking about that yet. Juve have finished in seventh place for the past two seasons, so we need to keep our feet on the ground, keep working hard and continue playing the way we’ve been doing since the start of the campaign.