Pirlo: 'Juventus farewell, if...'

By Football Italia staff

Andrea Pirlo opens to the possibility of leaving Juventus should he win the Champions League, but confirms they will be 'his last team in Italy'.

The Italian maestro released a long interview to La Gazzetta dello Sport in which he allowed for the weight of his 35 years, but said he'd like to go on playing.

“Ending my Juventus story by pocketing the Champions League would be a dream come true,” Pirlo has said ahead of his side's semi-final first leg with Real Madrid.

“But I won't stop playing, I'll go on as long as I have the same great desire to keep training every day.

“Winning this tournament would admittedly be the best way to close [my Juve career]. But I wouldn't go to another Italian team.

“Juventus will be my last Serie A team, whatever happens. MLS could be an idea, but for the moment I don't have anything, Juve are the only thing on my mind.

“Anyway let's start by winning the Champions League, everything else comes later...”

The world champion was then asked whether he expected such a successful Old Lady after the departure of Antonio Conte.

“I was not surprised. When we kicked off the season we looked each other in the eyes and we all wanted to show how strong our team was.

“We wanted to prove we were real champions and simultaneously we wished to vindicate the club's choice in terms of their new Coach.

“As for Conte's statements that you can't win a Champions League with an Italian club, everyone has his opinions and I respect that. He made his own decisions. In any case we're hoping to win.

“The players I like the most? Xavi and Iniesta, who have sublime quality and they only think about the team. My greatest idol? Roberto Baggio.

“Carlos Tevez? He's an extraordinary player, we're privileged to have him with us and I hope he'll stay with us next year too.”

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