Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo chose his Champions League dream team which included Juve players past and present.
The Daily Mail featured the maestro’s dream XI and his reasons for choosing each player:
Goalkeeper
Gianluigi Buffon
Pirlo’s verdict: ‘He has been at the top for so long. He makes saves that no other goalkeeper in the world can make. He knows how to command the defence and give confidence to them.’
Defence
Phillip Lahm
‘One of those players who never makes mistakes, always so reliable for Germany and Bayern. Probably doesn’t always get the credit, because it’s just so normal for him to be playing at such a high level now.’
Paolo Maldini
‘A defender who could read the game like nobody else, so intelligent and always so calm on the ball. One of the true greats, for both Italy and Milan.’
Fabio Cannavaro
‘A true leader that didn’t need to ask for respect, but naturally got it. Without doubt one of the best central defenders to have ever played.’
Cafu
‘Trend-setting in being one of the first truly great attacking full backs. Excellent at getting forward, but very strong defensively as well.’
Midfield
Paul Scholes
‘The truly great English midfield player of the generation. Didn’t just play the game, he thought about the game. You could see every pass, every decision, was based on his intelligence and understanding.’
Gennaro Gattuso
‘Rino is the opposition’s nightmare. Even in a training game, he plays like it is the World Cup final. The style of his game allows his team-mates time on the ball. Every team needs a Gattuso.’
Xavi
‘Another intelligent midfield player. Didn’t need to spend the whole time running but would control so many games for Barcelona and Spain with his intelligence and range of passing.’
Attack
Kaka
‘I remember how badly we took it as a team when Kaka left Milan. For two or three years he was the best player in the world. There was a point when teams just had no idea how to stop him.’
Messi
‘Has achieved so much, but still I am sure will achieve so much more. I don’t need to talk in detail about what he is capable of. Everybody knows he is one of the greatest ever already.’
Pippo Inzaghi
‘Just the perfect goal scorer. We had this most incredible understanding. We did not even have to look for each other. He knew what pass I would make and I knew where he would be. You gave him a chance and he would take it.’
Interesting choices .. All are great players, maybe I’m a sceptical but I would have slotted Ronaldo in favor of him .. Love the Gattuso choice, and yes, every team does need one. He was a nightmare to play against.
That’s a good line-up, you can always argue about this or that player but it’s a very good team imo. But why no Pirlo, Pirlo? 🙁
Ronaldo for me as well up front over inzaghi – The man knew where the net was and could be utterly ruthless in Europe.
I’d still Ale in there, half because of sentiment, half because he played some great CL games for us.
Loved Kaka in Europe, Tempted to move Maldini to LB, just so i could put Nesta in next to Cannavaro.
Too many choices….so many greats….i think it would take me forever to come up with an XI i was 100% happy with
This exactly, there’s just too many options. You’d need to get some restrictions, like Serie A/ Italian players only and even then it’s still too hard
Btw isn’t Gattuso written with one S instead of 2? It’s wrong in the line-up image 😛