RONALDO, PIRLO AND RED STAR: Incredible confessions about transfers that could change FOOTBALL (VIDEO)

A traditional football (soccer) match between Juventus and Real Madrid will write a new page in the history of rivalry between these two clubs tonight. The first semi-final match is at 20.45 in Torino, and there have been two names mentioned in every announcement – Andrea Pirlo and Cristiano Ronaldo.

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Italian and Spanish teams expect the most from these two great soccer players, and it is amazing that the two of them could change the history of soccer completely. They could have been the heroes of Juventus and Real in a totally different way.

Ronaldo had a signed per-contract with Juventus, while Pirlo was just waiting for a plane ticket to Madrid to sign what he promised to Fabio Capello and Real. The Portuguese was “stolen” by Alex Ferguson, while the experienced midfielder remained in Milan just before the match with Red Star during qualifications for the Champions League which he won with Milan in 2007.

This is his story….

Foto: AP/Tanjug

Italian football was hit by a big Calciopoli affair in 2006, but the nation was overwhelmed after their national team won the world title in Germany. After the World Cup, Pirlo was resting at home, riding a bike, and received praise from fellow countrymen who thought that the final match with the French was still on his mind.

However, Pirlo had just one thing on his mind- leaving Real Madrid. In his head he was not a member of Milan, and he did not know what awaited him after the scandal of match-fixing.

– One day I was reading about us being relegated to Series B, next about asking for 15 points penalty. Then, I was reading about handing back all our trophies and that all our titles would be removed from the record books. Nobody knew what was going on. I could not let myself play in the second division- said Pirlo in his memoirs, adding:

Foto: AP/Tanjug

– Soon I was phoned by Capello, and then by the director Baldini. Everybody wanted to talk to me. I had a word with my agent to see how Milan would react. At that moment we were playing the qualifications with Red Star and I was in Milanello. The agent Tullio told me to be patient, and that the phone would start ringing.

– Hello Andrea, it's Fabio Capello here– the voice of one of the greatest of all time coaches could be heard.

– Hello, coach. How are you? –Pirlo asked.

– I’m great and I imagine you’re even better. Come join us. We’ve just signed Emerson from Juventus and you’re the man to play beside him in midfield– said Capello and Pirlo accepted the offer in the blink of an eye. Or in a minute, to be precise.

A BLANK OFFER FROM MILAN THAT “HAD” TO BE ACCEPTED

Foto: AP/Tanjug

However, Andrea Galliani, the vice-president of Milan had to give his approval. Pirlo was having hard times, and he was already imagining himself wearing a Real football shirt.

–What do we do now, |Tullio?– Pirlo asked his agent who told him to go to lunch in a couple of days. The Italian was delighted and asked what the destination in Madrid was, and was stunned –- - No Andrea! Not Madrid. Milanello.

–What do you mean 'Milanello' ? Are you crazy?

–Nope, you heard right: Milanello. We haven't got Galliani's approval for the transfer yet..

Foto: AP/Tanjug

Tullio explained the situation to Galliani and that Pirlo wanted to go to Madrid. The soccer player himself joined the conversation and confirmed that and then…

– Andrea, my friend, you're not going anywhere– said Galliani and pulled out a small briefcase from under the table with my contract in it:

–You are not going, because you are going to sign this the five-year contract with a blank space for your salary and a blank offer. We will give you anything you want.

Foto: AP/Tanjug

Pirlo's agent took the offer home. He was reading it over and over again, while the midfielder dreamed of Real Madrid. He was already there in his dreams and imagined how he was walking down the streets of the capital of Spain. And then he got the call from the agent.

–Sign for Milan. They will never let you leave – said the agent.

–No!

–Yes!

–Ok– Pirlo finished the conversation. There was a bitter taste left in his mouth. He wanted to go to Real so eagerly, although he became the European champion that year.

Foto: AP/Tanjug

Ronaldo's story is slightly different, but the point is that tonight he will be running towards the net of the team he had signed a pre-contract with. Telegraf has already written about how he ended up in Juventus, but it is time to remind us again.

It was the summer of 2003 when Manchester United went to Lisbon. They played a friendly match against Sporting and Gary Neville did not play. It was an ideal opportunity for the legendary right-back to get some rest before the beginning of the exhausting season, and a chance to watch his teammates on TV, which happens very rarely.

–It was the first half when he made the run, inside John O'Shea. And I thought 'bloody hell'.When you're watching a player who you would usually play against, you look much more closely and it's very rare to see that level of movement and speed – said Neville and added:

Foto: AP/Tanjug

Gary contacted his brother Phil, who also had words of praise for Cristiano, and it seems that the key role was played by Ferdinand and Butt. They asked the boss: “Are we going to get him or not?”right after the match finished.

Ronaldo came to United and Juventus ,has lost valuable reinforcement.

– We agreed everything with Sporting from Lisbon. We would send them Salas, and Cristiano would come to Torino. The footballer himself accepted that, but Salas unexpectedly decided to go to Argentina. We knew that we would not be able to get Ronaldo without sending Salas to Lisbon and in the end we lost the race - said Luciano Moggi, the former director of Juventus once.

(Telegraf.co.uk)