Real Madrid turned down the chance to sign Andrea Pirlo for €10M five years ago, according to El Confidencial.

 

The man who shone at Euro 2012, playing defence-splitting pass after defence-splitting pass, is believed to have been offered to Los Blancos when he was 28 years old, for the bargain sum of just €10M.

 

But Real Madrid decided against taking the Italian to the Bernabeu, concluding they would be better shopping elsewhere.

 

Now, at 33 years old, Pirlo is still lighting up European football and was a key man in Juventus’ unbeaten march to the Serie A title last season.

 

He was also one of the players of Euro 2012, only just being pipped to the Player of the Tournament tag by Spain’s Andres Iniesta.

 

Los Blancos’ faithful are entitled to wonder whether Barcelona would have had their recent period of dominance in La Liga if Real Madrid had been able to call upon Pirlo in midfield.

 

The pass-master could well have helped a possession based game, similar to that practiced at the Camp Nou, develop in the Spanish capital.

 

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