The former Milan and Juve midfielder analyzes the situation of our movement in the week leading up to the Champions League final: “I’m sad, it’s sad to see the national team out of three World Cups. Reforms are needed to encourage clubs to invest”
Andrea Pirlo has clear ideas like when he kicked one of those irresistible free kicks: he puts the ball where he wants it, always and in any case. It’s part of what made him legendary, it’s the reason why when talking about the Champions League and Saturday’s final between PSG and Arsenal we end up talking about Italian football and what doesn’t work, how much it hurts to be out of the World Cup for three editions in a row and how talents like Kvaratskhelia, among the most awaited protagonists on Saturday in Budapest and player of the year in the Champions League together with Bayern’s Olise according to the now 47-year-old former midfield master, make it to Serie A but don’t. they can stay there. Just as Pirlo wouldn’t have been left there if he were a player today.
Andrea, how far are the Italian teams from being able to win the Champions League again?
“Quite a lot, at the moment. In recent years, Inter have come close: they played against Manchester City in 2023, unlike PSG last year. But I believe that at the moment there are many other teams that are much stronger than ours.”
What do you think is missing in order to see the Italians competitive again in the top European competition: talent, investments, ideas?
“A bit of everything, even the mentality of playing different football. If you see the teams that get to play the finals, they still have attacking football, quality players. And of course, they also have investments that we can no longer make. Once upon a time the best players came to Italy, now they go elsewhere and that’s the difference.”
You were one of the best of your generation: would Pirlo play in Italy or elsewhere in 2026?
“At this moment that Italy is no longer the top of the leagues, I would definitely play in the Premier League.”
A few stars in A still pass through, but then they don’t stay there. Like Kvara, protagonist with Napoli before going to PSG with which he is looking for the second Champions League in a row. Was it impossible to keep him?
“Unthinkable today. It’s right that he earns what he’s earning, that they pay him what they paid him. The other teams have more opportunities and even more money to be able to get to certain players, to be able to develop them. Our teams have never returned to the level at which we can compete with the other leagues.”
Do you think it’s possible to go back there, at that level?
“Reforms should be made to encourage companies to invest. Unfortunately, however, we have been out of the World Cup for 3 editions but nothing has changed.”
Does this situation bother you?
“Yes, I’m sad because it’s sad to see Italy not making the World Cup three times. My children would like to see Italy, I would like to see Italy. The World Cup is a moment for everyone to be together, to reunite. And when the national team plays in the World Cup it’s always nice: you remember from when you were little what you were doing at that moment, who you were with. Unfortunately, three editions with Italy not making the World Cup is sad for everyone.”
We have too many 0-0s, to see a shot you have to turn off the TV
The Champions League final is on Saturday, PSG-Arsenal. Are they the two best teams?
“Yes, with the addition of Bayern. Well, a semi-final like PSG-Bayern is a real beauty, one of those matches that you hope will never end. You never get tired of seeing it, you know that anything can happen minute after minute. Those are the matches that children want to see, that people go to the stadium to follow. Certainly not the 0-0 with ten people behind the ball, the ones in which to see a shot on goal you have to turn off the television.”
Who are you aiming for between PSG and Arsenal?
“I say 2-1 Psg. I see them as slight favourites, but only because they have more experience playing this type of match. Psg has already played in two Champions League finals, one lost and one won, and now they have the opportunity to win again. I see them ahead even if Arsenal are in a positive moment, they have just won the Premier League and are playing excellent football.”
What will the match decide?
“The defensive phase. The two teams have excellent players up front but they both have an excellent defensive phase. Scoring goals against Arsenal is difficult, because I believe that the two central defenders Gabriel and Saliba are among the best in the world in terms of physicality, speed and aggression. I think it will be a good match.”
As a master of midfield, who do you prefer between Vitinha and Rice, the two stars in the middle of PSG and Arsenal?
“They are completely different but they both have fundamental importance. Vitinha is the one who brings out the game in any situation, he cleans up all the balls for you and always makes you restart well, even under pressure. PSG’s game comes from there: if they didn’t have a player like that, they would be a strong team but with other qualities. Rice recovers all the balls for you, closes all the holes. He is a man of quantity, also very good at set pieces. They both have enormous importance for the team, and they also have very good teammates around them.”
Who would Pirlo be a better player with?
“I could play with both without any problems.”
Who will make the difference for PSG?
“I believe that now Kvara is the one who can shift the balance, especially one-on-one and the effectiveness he has in the final pass and shooting.”
And in Arsenal?
“It’s more of a collective, more of a system that must be tested and must work well together. PSG has more opportunities to be able to resolve matches even with individual plays.”
I’m sad, seeing the national team out of three World Cups is sad, because it’s the moment when we’re all together, you remember where you are and with whom
What does the Champions League final bring to mind?
“My first final, in 2003, my best memory. It was the first for many of us from that Milan. It was something new, I remember the emotion of arriving at the stadium, of playing a final against another Italian team, Juve. And then we had played the derby in the semi-final, the two most intense matches also for what was felt in the city, for the emotions of that week. Winning the Champions League was incredible.”
You played in 4 finals, 3 with Milan, 2 of which you won and one with Juve: does a final ever become routine?
“No, never. Of course, if you’ve played it you know more or less what can happen to you, you know what happens to you before the match, what the expectations are during the week. You can’t know what can happen afterwards, on the pitch. The final is always a final, especially in the Champions League. We’re talking about a trophy which in terms of importance for a player is comparable only to the World Cup. And it can never become routine, even if you play ten.”
You won the World Cup and Champions League: which one do you choose?
“I think the World Cup is the best for anyone. As a child you dream of maybe playing in the World Cup once, hoping to be able to lift that Cup. I had this luck and I think it’s truly priceless. You no longer play just for the club: you play for your country, you play for an entire nation.”
What do you feel when you hear the Champions League anthem?
“Obviously my reaction now is a little different from before. When there are matches like PSG-Bayern, however, they make you want to go back to playing: they are incredible matches, of a very high level, with beautiful stadiums full of people happy to see matches like that. When you see other ones, however, maybe the desire to go back to play fades a little…”.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
