On the 18th December 2010, a week before Christmas, the last weekend before the Serie A winter break. The weekends key fixture was Milan vs Roma, the Rossoneri – league leaders, were a goal behind and were pushing for an equalizer, whilst Roma were attempting to make Milan uncomfortable on the ball, and during this period, Jeremy Menez came in for a late tackle on a veteran Milan midfielder, forcing him to exit the pitch due to injury.
That midfielder was Andrea Pirlo, and that tackle, along with various training knocks, kept the “Metronome” out of the AC Milan squad for some months, only seeing a starting place against Palermo last week.
Pirlo, usually a unmovable cog in the Rossoneri midfield, needed a replacement, and Adriano Galliani duly obliged, supplying his manager with Mark Van Bommel to plug the gap, and provide an alternative to the playmaker in light of his, and Massimo Ambrosini’s injuries which threatened to harm Milan’s title charge – and were one of the reasons why Milan lost the midfield battle to a quicker, sharper Tottenham side on the continent.
Van Bommel proved to be a revelation, providing the grit and tenacity that his reputation guaranteed, as well as a superb passing range that has allowed Milan to continue relatively unscathed domestically. Alongside a rejuvenated Clarence Seedorf and workhorses Kevin Prince Boateng and Gennaro Gattuso, Milan had enough ability to overcome their rivals, and the rest, as they say is history.
But where does that leave Pirlo?
A man of undoubted technical ability, and a passing range that has no equals, surely Il Maestro would be able to sashay back into the Milan first eleven, as he has in previous years.
That is not the case however,as Milan have go on to success without Pirlo, ergo throwing the 31 year old’s future in doubt. Despite Andrea’s ability, his defensive proficiency has always been found wanting, a weakness that Allegri has highlighted, and is reportedly looking for a more gritty, box to box style player that would work as hard going back to defend as going forward to attack.
As a result, it looks all the more likely that Andrea Pirlo has played his last game in black and red. Milan are moving forward, with the intention of building a new Rossoneri, and hope to usher in a new era of Milanese dominance, domestically and in Europe, and giving a contract extension to veteran that Milan have had success without would be seen as a backwards move.
It’s a sad truth, and as the rumors circle about the arrivals of new faces, younger, hungrier and more defensively able – Pirlo moves further away from Milanello.
It’s a rapid change in fortunes for the Azzurri playmaker, once the lynchpin, the conductor and touch of class that Milan have forever been associated with, but one injury and a january transfer window later, he is yesterday’s man – unwanted, unneeded, and surplus to requirements at the new Champions.
Adriano Galliani will hold talks with Pirlo regarding a contract extension, but word has it that if the midfielder wants to stay, he will have to accept a pay cut as well as the knowledge that he is no longer vital to Milan’s fortunes in the future, a position that he will find hard to accept, especially when Juventus are apparently watching the situation, preparing to offer him a far more lucrative deal. Juventus are an option that Pirlo will consider, the promise of first team football in addition to a wage packet he feels he deserves may be enough to prise him away.
Despite Milan’s achievements without their number 21, they will still have a large gap to fill should he leave this summer. Andrea is one of a kind, a throw back to the lost days of the fantasista and will be missed at the San Siro. Every orchestra needs its conductor, to keep time, tempo and tune. Will the music be as sweet without Il Maestro? Maybe not, but the show will go on.
Join Forza Italian Football on Twitter and Facebook.
