Sampdoria vs Juventus preview - Pirlo scotches Real rumours

Posted Saturday, May 18, 2013 by PA

Juventus midfielder Andrea Pirlo sees no reason to pursue a career at Real Madrid as he expects the Serie A champions to keep on collecting trophies.

Ahead of Saturday night's trip to Sampdoria, the 33-year-old playmaker has been linked with a move to the Santiago Bernabeu having rolled back the years to guide the Bianconeri to back-to-back Italian titles since leaving AC Milan.

Pirlo, however, is giving no credence to recent media reports and insists he can spur Juve on to greater things despite his advancing years.

He told La Repubblica: "There have been rumours in the last few days but I have a contract with Juventus. I'm happy here, we are winning things and we want to keep on winning.

"I don't think there are any problems.

"I have not thought about retirement. I will consider that from season to season. When I no longer feel at my best I'll say `enough' - I don't want to just make up the numbers."

The Italy international shows no sign of calling time on his career with Cesare Prandelli's Azzurri but when asked who should succeed him in midfield, he identified Paris St Germain's prodigious young playmaker, Marco Verratti.

"I really like the way Verratti plays, I think he's a lot like me," he added. "Therefore I would say that he could be the future of Italy."

The season is over for suspended Paul Pogba and his injured midfield colleague Simone Pepe while defenders Andrea Barzagli and Kwadwoh Asamoah and striker Nicklas Bendtner face a race against time to be fit to face Samp.

The Ligurians can finish no higher than 14th on their return to the top flight but there may well have been a relegation decider at the Marassi on the final day had Delio Rossi not replaced Ciro Ferrara in December.

Five wins from nine games were enough to generate the points needed to propel Samp into mid-table and, as a result, Rossi earned a two-year contract despite failing to oversee a victory since March 3.

He told Gazzetta.it: "This game is last of our current cycle, not the first game of the next cycle.

"Next season will be even tougher but we will look to build on our success this year. In the long run the plan is to get good results and not the other way around."

Midfielder Renan starts a two-match ban while defenders Andrea Costa and Jonathan Rossini join Nenad Krsticic on the treatment table.