Pirlo: Berlusconi blocked my move to Chelsea

Andrea Pirlo has revealed how he came close to joining Chelsea in 2009 only for AC Milan owner and former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi to personally intervene and block the deal.

In this extract from his new autobiography, I Think Therefore I Play, Pirlo, 34, sheds light on the events of the 2009, when the playmaker had decided to leave AC Milan after reaching an agreement to link up with former boss Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea:

Silvio Berlusconi had a difficult task that day – convincing me to stay. Persuading me to reopen a suitcase that was already on the check-in belt, ready to be weighed and then sent on its way.

It was August 2009 and I’d reached agreement with Chelsea, the club where Carlo Ancelotti had just come in as manager. Carlo was like a father and a teacher for me, a kind, friendly man who knew how to make things fun. I’d spent the best years of my career with him. If you’re a player who wants to get on and give everything, you won’t find anyone better than him Ancelotti’s even more impressive than Carlo Mazzone back in my Brescia days. You wouldn’t see the latter on the training pitch right up until the Thursday. He’d stay in the dressing room, wrapped in a massive jacket out of the cold while his assistant took the session.

Carlo Ancelotti was my motivation for agreeing to head to London. But, in the meantime, Berlusconi had pulled out a piece of paper. This time there were loads of names with ticks next to them, and one that had been circled.

“Stay. We’ve signed Huntelaar.” Huntelaar…

“We could have brought in other guys, people like Claudio Pizarro, but we chose him.”

Huntelaar... “Listen, Andrea, you just can’t do this, damn it. You’re the symbol of Milan, a standard bearer for this team, and we’ve already sold Kaká. You can’t jump ship as well. It’d be a terrible blow, to our image as much as anything. We can’t have everyone leaving.”

During the Confederations Cup that I’d just finished playing, Ancelotti and I had spoken a fair bit on the phone, not least because there wasn’t much of a time difference between South Africa and England. There was no need to get up at the crack of dawn to hear this particular serenade.

He wanted to bring me to London at all costs, and cost was indeed the last hurdle still to be overcome. Insurmountable, as it transpired. Milan wanted too much cash, and they were also pushing for Branislav Ivanovic to be included in the deal. Chelsea hadn’t the slightest intention of letting the defender go.

“Mr President, I really like all this talk of being a standard bearer. But my contract here is about to run out, and those guys are offering me four years.” At five million euros a season. It wasn’t money that had convinced me, more the length of the deal. That’s always very important.

“Where’s the problem, Andrea? You can sort all that out with [Adriano] Galliani [the Milan CEO], can’t you? Take it as read.”

“You sure?”

“Absolutely positive.”

No sooner were the words out of his mouth than he shot out of the room to tell the media: “Andrea Pirlo is not for sale. He’s staying with Milan and he’ll finish his career right here.”

As it turned out, I moved to Juventus. That’s Berlusconi all over, though. He’s theatrical and knows exactly what he wants. It’s what makes him such a fantastic president and lover of pure, beautiful football. Winning isn’t enough for him.

http://www.standard.co.uk/sport/football/andrea-pirlo-my-move-to-chelsea-was-blocked-by-silvio-berlusconi-9259395.html


This is an interesting insight.


They eventually let him go. For free. To Juve. Not sure if that was a stupid call by Berlusconi but it definitely appears so.

good riddance

Pirlo long wanted out of Milan. In 2006 he had his bags backed for Madrid only to win the CL in 2007 with Milan. According to the OP he had his bags packed in 2009 for Chelsea, only to stay and win Serie A in 2010. I am a critic of Berlusconi and Galliani's recent conduct, but I cannot say that this was a poor decision. The poor decision came later, when we let Pirlo go to a rival instead of selling him a year earlier.

It hurts me so much when I first read his statement regarding his supposedly move to Madrid. He is the reason I start supporting Milan.
Come to think again, It's makes sense now he is weirdly not consistently performed by his usual standard since world cup 2006 glory. He was still had a moment of brilliance here and there and contributed alot to the team, especially in champions league, but his overall performance was regressed since then.

Also Barca and Madrid, not sure there's a top club he didn't want to sign for.

My favourite extract thus far [quoting Ibra first]:

"I'd love to play at San Siro in the same team as Ronaldinho," he said. "The coach here doesn't even talk to me. In the last six months, he's spoken to me twice."

There was no mystery in that – Guardiola was saving his words for me.

So, Chelsea tried to sign him in 2009 and Barcelona in 2010. And then he joined Juventus on a free in 2011. That's pretty bad business sense from Milan / Berlusconi / Galliani, especially since they've been struggling for cash.

Nah, he did the right thing at the time. Kept Pirlo until the very end and then let him go. What happened after doesn't really matter. Plus I doubt they would have got a huge fee for him anyway at his age.

How many clubs has Pirlo been pimped out to now?

Zealous wrote:How many clubs has Pirlo been pimped out to now?

He was interested in Chelsea, Barca and Madrid and has played for all 3 of Inter, Milan & Juve.

And Reggina, let's not forget Reggina.

-----------Iniesta-----------
------Pirlo---------Xavi------
----------Busquets----------

Pirlo helped us get the 2011 scudetto, and IMO we should have kept him as he he would have helped us get in 2012 as well, if not by his own power then by keeping him out of Juve's team.

That being said, Pirlo have been a known critique along with others such as Maldini of the way Milan have been handled off late. It is known how Maldini (both father and son) do not see eye to eye with Berlu and his mouthpiece Galliani.

Others critical of the club were Gattuso and Ambrosini as well. It was obvious that Milan have been declining since 2005, and the 2007 CL and the 2011 league were are the last gasps of the Carlo era (with Ibra massively helping in 2011).

Finally, these player autobiographies are mostly trash, and the fact that they are published before the players even properly retire. I don't know about the contents of Pirlo's bio, but I hope his does not resort to name-calling and confidentiality breaches like many others do.

Knowing Pirlo, I don't think it does. But I wouldn't know because I would not wast a second of my life reading the bio of entertainment figures such as athletes and/or movie stars

Art Morte wrote:So, Chelsea tried to sign him in 2009 and Barcelona in 2010. And then he joined Juventus on a free in 2011. That's pretty bad business sense from Milan / Berlusconi / Galliani, especially since they've been struggling for cash.

That's typical Berlusconi business sense.

Pirlo: "PlayStation is best invention of all time. And ever since it's existed, I've been Barça, apart from brief spell when I'd go Milan."

LMAO

Maybe i need to read his book lol, u need honesty to sell books these days, or its no point. Honesty is bound to offend people ofc.

You mean, we could have had Lampard, Pirlo, Ballack, Deco and Essien all in the same midfield?   

Yeah Pirlo's a lad ffs

Been reading extended quotes from his book ffs, I need this.

Pirlo wrote:I pictured myself in that white jersey. Pristine, and at the same time aggressive; a mean streak running through its unusual purity. My thoughts often wandered to the Santiago Bernabeu, the Temple, a ground that struck terror into opponents. Bruised and battered slaves at the king's banquet.

It's a pity it went the way it did. I'd have signed for Real in a heartbeat. They're a club with more glamour than Milan; more prospects, more appeal, more everything. They strike fear in their opponents, whoever they happen to be.

Fck man I wish he signed for us.

Zeal falling for the lines like any random chick peeps be whistling at on the street.

The Franchise wrote:Zeal falling for the lines like any random chick peeps be whistling at on the street.

What can I say I'm easy to please. Hell, your line just now stirred some deep feelings.   

Berlusconi did him a favour. He wouldn't have gotten in our team.

Gil wrote:Berlusconi did him a favour. He wouldn't have gotten in our team.

I really want try what you smoke

Gil wrote:Berlusconi did him a favour. He wouldn't have gotten in our team.

Pirlo was, and still is better than every midfielder you ever had in Chelsea.