OMNISPORT

Andrea Pirlo explained his tears in Berlin on Saturday were not a goodbye to Juventus.

Pirlo cast a forlorn figure after Juventus were beaten 3-1 by Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League final.

The 36-year-old was in tears following the full-time whistle, leading to suggestions he had played his last game for the Italian champions amid reports of an imminent switch to MLS expansion franchise New York City.

However, Pirlo told Sky Sport Italia: "Were my tears a goodbye to Juventus? No, they were for the defeat.

"It is the kind of opportunity that I will rarely get again."

Pirlo's comments come after Juve director Giuseppe Marotta admitted the Italian's future in Turin remains unclear.

"Andrea is an icon of Italian football and has become an icon of Juventus too. I think his tears are understandable for a player who gave us such strong emotions over the years and it's only right he should feel those emotions too," Marotta said via Sky Sport Italia on Saturday.

"Now the season is over, from tomorrow we will begin meetings with the players who are subject to transfer speculation.

"It's not easy to replace Pirlo. We have some eclectic players like Claudio Marchisio, while [coach Massimiliano] Allegri is capable of finding other alternatives."