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"Juventus" footballer Andrea Pirlo had to wear "Barcelona" kit. Current Munich "Bayern" coach Joseph Guardiola, when he was coaching "Barcelona", tried to sign a contract with the Italian national team's goalkeeper. The 34-year-old Italian revealed this in his autobiography, which was published in Italian books on Tuesday. After pre-season matches between "Barcelona" and "Milan" on August 25, 2010, at the "Camp Nou" stadium, M. Pirlo and J. Guardiola met to discuss the conditions of a future contract. The "Barcelona" coach persuaded the Italian, who still had a valid contract with "Milan" for another year, to move to the Catalan capital. 'Andrea, we need you here,' - the Juventus player quotes the Catalan's words in his autobiography. - 'We are already very strong and I can't want more. But having you in the team would be like putting a cherry on top of the cake. I am looking for a goalkeeper who could play alongside Xavi, Iniesta, and Busquets, and that goalkeeper is you. You have all the necessary qualities to play for Barcelona. You are a world-class player. If you come here, you would have a special place in the team. I always liked you as a player and I want to coach you. For now, "Milan" refuses to negotiate, but we will be persistent.' Despite all of Guardiola's efforts, Pirlo failed to wear the "Barcelona" kit. The "Milan" club officials refused to let the player go to the Catalans for a hefty ransom, and after the contract expired, Pirlo next summer moved to "Juventus" in vain. The Italian footballer also reveals his doubts about the players of La Coruna's "Deportivo," whom he met in the Champions League quarterfinals in 2004. A. Pirlo is convinced that the Spaniards used doping when after losing away to "Milan" (1:4) they unexpectedly won at home 4-0. 'The Spanish players seemed possessed, they ran towards a goal that only they could see. Even the oldest players, who until then were not famous for speed or endurance,' Pirlo observed. - 'For the first and only time in my career, I wondered if I was playing against opponents who had used doping."
