The legendary playmaker revealed his disappointment at Juventus' defeat to Barcelona, but rejects the notion it was his last match there

Andrea Pirlo insists that his tears after the Champions League final were simply a reaction to the result, not confirmation that he had played his last game for Juventus.

The Italy international had admitted beforehand that he would likely leave Turin if the Bianconeri beat Barcelona in Berlin - even though he still has a year to run on his current contract with the Italian titleholders.

However, when the veteran midfielder broke down after Juve's 3-1 loss, many pundits interpreted his tears as evidence of his imminent exit.

Pirlo, though, says that too much has been read into his reaction, explaining that he was merely devastated at seeing the opportunity to claim a third Champions League winners' medal pass him by.

"Were my tears a goodbye to Juventus? No, they were for the defeat," Pirlo told Sky Sport Italia. "It is the kind of opportunity that I will rarely get again."

Juventus director general Giuseppe Marotta had earlier insisted Italy international's tears needed no explanation and assured they were working to keep him with the Serie A champions.

"Andrea is an icon of Italian football and has become an icon of Juventus too," he stated. "I think his tears are understandable for a player who gave us such strong emotions over the years and it's only right he should feel those emotions too.

"Now that the season is over, we will begin meetings with the players who are subject to transfer speculation.

"It's not easy to replace Pirlo, [but] we have some eclectic players like Claudio Marchisio, while [coach Massimiliano] Allegri is capable of finding other alternatives."

Pirlo joined the Turin giants in 2011 and immediately inspired a transformation that has seen the Old Lady lift four successive Scudetti.