5 club legends who were treated poorly

Luis Suarez is one of several players who were treated poorly by their clubs despite their stellar contributions.
Luis Suarez is one of several players who were treated poorly by their clubs despite their stellar contributions.

#3 Andrea Pirlo (AC Milan)

Andrea Pirlo
Andrea Pirlo

One of Italy's finest, Andrea Pirlo is one of the best players to have graced the game.

He joined AC Milan in 2001 from Inter Milan, and made his name as an elegant midfielder with excellent passing and vision. Pirlo helped AC Milan win two Serie A titles and as many Champions League trophies, so it was a surprise to see the club let him leave on a free transfer in 2011.

Pirlo was 32 when AC Milan and the player decided to part ways. The Italy international was subsequently snapped up by Juventus, which turned out to be a very shrewd acquisition.

He was key as the club re-established themselves as Italian giants, winning four Serie A titles. Former AC Milan CEO Adriano Galliani later admitted to La Gazzetta dello Sport that letting Andrea Pirlo go was his biggest mistake.

"Letting Pirlo go was my biggest mistake ever. It was an error I made, together with a number of other persons. But don't ask me who the others were."

#2 Iker Casillas (Real Madrid)

Iker Casillas
Iker Casillas

Over the years, Real Madrid have cultivated a habit of dealing poorly with their legends, with Iker Casillas being a notable example.

A product of the Real Madrid academy, Casillas is a Merengues through and through. He made his debut in 1999 and established himself as one of the best in the world at a young age, making excellent reflex saves and impressing with his composure, which belied his tender years.

He won five La Liga titles with Real Madrid as well as three Champions League trophies. However, Casillas departed the club under controversial circumstances in 2015, and his agent Santos Marquez was scathing about the club during an interview with Marca.

"Casillas never decided to jump ship and leave Madrid. He was pushed. Casillas did not ask to leave; he has been annoyed and everything about his exit had been agreed behind his back. He has to go, so he accepts that, but at no point did Casillas want to leave."

#1 Luis Suarez (Barcelona)

Luis Suarez
Luis Suarez

Luis Suarez is arguably the greatest no. 9 of the modern generation, and one of Barcelona's greatest.

After a world-class 2013-14 season with Liverpool, Suarez joined Barcelona in 2014 in a big-money move. The Uruguay international formed a fearsome attacking trident with Lionel Messi and Neymar, helping the club win a continental treble and four La Liga titles.

However, the striker was unceremoniously sold last summer, with Atletico Madrid signing him.

Despite his incredible achievements with the club, Luis Suarez saw his departure handled extremely poorly, with even Messi criticising the same. Suarez soon proved to Barcelona that they were wrong in letting him go, leading Atletico Madrid to the La Liga title in his very first season, scoring 21 league goals.

The 34-year old admitted to Movistar that he was underestimated by Barcelona, saying:

"It's a lot of things. It was difficult, the situation I had to go through. At the start of the season, with the way I was underestimated... Atletico Madrid opened the door for me, to keep showing that I'm still valid. A lot of people have suffered with me. My wife, my kids; they're with me day-to-day. I've been in football for many years, and this is the year they've suffered the most."

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