Andrea Pirlo (part 2)

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9 Mar 2024

Andrea Pirlo (part 2)

Andrea Pirlo , joined Juventus on a free transfer, signing a contract until 2014. His debut for Juventus was in a friendly match against Sporting CP, which they lost 2–1. In the first competitive match against Parma at home in the 2011–12 Serie A opening match, Pirlo made a significant impact by providing two assists for Stephan Lichtsteiner and Claudio Marchisio. The latter's goal was the first-ever in the Juventus Stadium, and Pirlo completed 110 passes in a 4–1 victory. Under the management of Antonio Conte, Pirlo played in a three-man midfield alongside Marchisio and Arturo Vidal, with Pirlo acting as a creative deep-lying playmaker.

Pirlo's first goal for Juventus came from a free kick against Catania on 18 February 2012, securing a 3–1 victory and propelling Juventus to the top of the Serie A table ahead of his former club, Milan. On 18 March, he scored in a 5–0 win against Fiorentina, dedicating the victory to Fabrice Muamba, who suffered a cardiac arrest during a match between Bolton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur on the same day.

The 2011–12 season concluded with Pirlo winning the Serie A title, helping Juventus secure a 2–0 victory over Cagliari. He led the Serie A in assists that season, providing 13 in total, and also scored three goals. Pirlo's exceptional performances, including creating over 100 chances and completing 2643 passes with an 87% pass completion rate, earned him recognition. He was named to the Serie A Team of the Year, alongside his Juventus teammate Vidal. Pirlo and Juventus finished as runners-up to Napoli in the Coppa Italia final. His impressive form during the 2011–12 season, leading Juventus to the league title, Supercoppa Italiana, and Coppa Italia Final, as well as guiding Italy to the final of Euro 2012, resulted in his nomination for the 2012 UEFA Best Player in Europe Award, where he finished in 4th place. Additionally, he was elected to the 2012 ESM Team of the Year and the 2012 UEFA Team of the Year.

In the 2012 Supercoppa Italiana played in Beijing on 11 August 2012 against Napoli, Pirlo contributed to Juventus' 4–2 win in extra time. He showcased his free-kick expertise by curling in a free kick to secure a 2–0 victory over Parma on the opening day of the new Serie A season, a goal that stirred controversy as Parma players protested its validity. In the subsequent league match against Udinese on 2 September, Pirlo played a role in winning a penalty and assisted Sebastian Giovinco's second goal as Juventus triumphed 4–1.

On 29 September, Pirlo scored the opening goal with a trademark free kick in a 4–1 victory over Roma. His outstanding performances led to his nomination for the 2012 FIFA Ballon d'Or, alongside Juventus and Italy teammate Gianluigi Buffon. Pirlo provided three assists for Juventus during the Champions League group stage, helping them top their group undefeated and advance to the knockout stages for the first time since the 2008–09 tournament.
Pirlo received several accolades for his performances, winning the 2012 Serie A Footballer of the Year, Best Midfielder of the Season, and the 2012 Guerin d'Oro. He was named part of the 2012 Serie A Team of the Year and secured the Pallone Azzurro for the best player of the year in the Italy national team. Additionally, he placed fourth in the IFFHS World's Best Playmaker of the Year Award and seventh in the FIFA Ballon d'Or.

Pirlo and Juventus retained their Serie A title. However, they were eliminated by Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League and by Lazio in the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia.Pirlo continued to play a crucial role in Juventus' success, featuring in their 4–0 win against Lazio in the 2013 Supercoppa Italiana. He was nominated for the 2013 FIFA Ballon d'Or and the 2013 FIFPro World XI. Despite sustaining a knee ligament injury on 1 December, Pirlo signed a new contract with Juventus on 12 January 2014, keeping him at the club until 2016.

He received the Serie A Footballer of the Year award for a second consecutive time and was included in the Serie A Team of the Year. Juventus won their 30th league title with a record 102 points and 33 victories. Pirlo also played a pivotal role in the UEFA Europa League, reaching the semi-finals, where Juventus lost to Benfica. His performances earned him a place in the 2013–14 Europa League Team of the Season.

2014–2015: UEFA Champions League final and departure

On 11 June 2014, Pirlo extended his contract with Juventus until 2016. Celebrating his 100th league appearance for Juventus on 5 October 2014, he played a crucial role in a 3–2 home win over Roma. On 1 November, Pirlo scored from a free kick in a 2–0 victory over Empoli, marking his 26th Serie A goal from a free kick and placing him two goals behind the all-time record holder, Siniša Mihajlović. Continuing his trademark, Pirlo scored another curling direct free kick on 4 November in a 3–2 home win over Olympiacos during the UEFA Champions League group stage. This marked his 100th appearance in the competition and his first UEFA Champions League goal with Juventus.

Pirlo was named the Serie A Footballer of the Year for the third time in his career on 15 December 2014, and he was included in the 2014 Serie A Team of the Year. In the UEFA Champions League round of 16 match against Borussia Dortmund on 24 February 2015, he left the pitch during the first half due to a right calf injury, sidelining him for three weeks. After returning to action on 11 April 2015 against Parma, Pirlo played a pivotal role in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg against Monaco on 14 April, contributing to a 1–0 victory.